Dead Girl Walking
by on.ings.like.weagles
Summary: Edward left, Bella committed suicide. Eighty years on, the Cullens return. They meet Aurelia and Arabella, one a vampire; one not. Who are they? Can the Cullen's uncover their past and will they like what they find? HIATUS
1. Authors Note

DEAR READERS OF DEAD GIRL WALKING... I AM EDITING THIS STORY AND WILL BE REPOSTING CHAPTERS... DO ENJOY THE UPDATED VERSION.


	2. Beautiful Suicide

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 1

Bella - Beautiful Suicide

His eyes weren't the shimmering pools of butterscotch that I'd come to adore anymore, they were glassy and cold like amber; unfeeling, hard amber. Oh my angel, why?

My voice whispered hoarsely, trying to hold in the tears threatening to fall down my cheeks, because my heart was breaking oh so painfully into tiny little pieces.

"You…don't…want…me?"

He must know my heart was breaking; it was as obvious as the tremble of my lips; or the shudders coursing through me. Yet did he care? Not anymore.

His face was stony and now the tears sprung freely to my eyes when I saw my angel, so expressionless and empty. How could he do this to me, after everything he'd said to me, after everything we'd done together?

The urge to touch him overwhelmed me; I had to believe that I was in a nightmare. A sick, twisted nightmare that had been thought up instead of a reality, oh god let this be a nightmare. The air crackled around me, as hot electricity flowed between my body and his, then turned to lightning when I touched his arm. I sighed contentedly; Edward was here; breaking up with me.

Panic clawed into my body and I froze. This was real. Honest to goodness, real. Then his cool marble fingertips pressed to my cheek and I stopped breathing.

Naively, I closed my eyes and tipped my head to side, so that he cradled my cheek in his palm. I waited for his lips to brush against mine; sweet and soft. I was always putty in his hands. Then something registered in my mind. The hand against my cheek wasn't soft and loving; it was hard and cold; and trying to push me away.

My angel was pushing me away. As he did, I felt my heart rip from my chest and crumble to dust at his feet. I was in agony. But I never knew true pain until he spoke his next words; the last words he'd ever say to me.

"No, I don't."

He said those actual words; the words that tore my life asunder and would've ripped my heart to shreds, if he hadn't already taken it. He did not want me. Not now and never again.

Then he turned away, his back to me, to walk away from me; out of my life, for an eternity. I couldn't stop the broken cry that escaped me as my angel; my entire life walked away from me. And walk he did; dragging my dead heart with him, and my soul, my life, my all. My body crumpled. And so did my world. I sank to the ground, tears running freely in streams down my cheeks.

Then I was running. To god knows where. I didn't care where I went anymore. Edward wouldn't be there. I was alone, alone with this unbearable, immeasurable pain…God knows how much I wanted the pain to go, how much I wanted it to disappear.

Then I stopped running. And I shuddered.

My feet had taken me to the pinnacle of Chief's Head Peak. It was like they wanted me to be here, right now. As I stared down as the churning waters of the Loyang River, I understood. There was a way to end my suffering, all my pain. Wrapping my arms around my broken torso, I tried to prepare my mind to let me go. It was just a little leap; one that went against nature; that went against life. I uttered the one word that could sum up everything I was feeling in that moment… "Goodbye…"

I raised my foot to step away from this horrible life, when a frantic voice echoed around me; inside me. "Please don't do this. I haven't had a chance to live."

Shocked I hesitated, but only for a second, before I murmured quietly. "You don't want a chance…" And I lifted my foot again, utterly ready to let go, but then the voice repeated even more frantically, even more panic leaking into its voice. "Please don't do this. Don't kill me because of daddy."

Shockwaves of disbelief crashed over my numbing body, and my mind froze on one word - "DADDY?"

It simply wasn't possible. Not possible at all, but one thing changed all that; a simple nudge, below my navel; _inside of me._ The life was already leaving me, I could feel the darkness taking over and I felt weightless; so free. A small voice cried to me at the edges of consciousness, but I was gone; too far gone. "Mummy…"

It echoed around me; all around me, but I was completely oblivious as I tumbled down the rocky cliffside into the crushing waters below.


	3. Promises Are Meant To Be Broken

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 2

Edward - Promises are Meant to be Broken

Oh god, I couldn't do this, god must know how much I didn't want to do this to her; my love, but I had to. Looking into her beautiful brown eyes, that were steadily pooling with unshed tears, my heart broke again, but I had to protect the light of my life, my star, my angel; _my Bella. _

She was worth any pain I had to live through because of this; she deserved so much more than I could give her. She deserved to live, and I forced myself to relive all the times that vampires had hurt her. I couldn't let her get hurt again; it would kill me to see her bleeding and broken again because of our kind, yet I had to hurt her one last time, so there was a chance that she would stay safe. And I had to do it.

With my own two hands, I pushed my angel away from me; keeping my heart cool and unfeeling, yet still feeling in the depths of my soul the ache in my unbeating heart when her warm human flesh was no longer pressed against my cold skin.

I could feel her pain; I could see it in her beautiful eyes; now glassy with unshed tears and broken with anguish. I always felt her pain, and right now I was being torn apart with despair. I hated, no loathed myself for doing this to her. But I stayed strong; I had to protect her. Even if to do so it meant I had to hurt her; had to destroy any hope of us being together. "No. I don't."

I watched horrified as her soul shattered to pieces before my own eyes. And I knew I was looking into the eyes of true suffering, eyes that I had never wanted to see on my angel. And I couldn't bear to see her like this because of me; so I turned around and walked away. I never had felt so ashamed in my entire existence. Never

A strangled and broken cry escaped her lips as I walked away for her; one that broke me into more pieces than I ever thought could be possible. I had destroyed her.

I was a true monster.

My beautiful, sweet angel, who would never hurt anyone, was in so much pain, because of me. I had broken her; a monster.

As the word echoed around me, I ran. I had to run. All the back to where my family was waiting for me, and so very far away from the only reason I had to live in this miserable, meaningless excuse for an existence; away from my love, my sun, my angel, my reason for existing; from my Bella - my beautiful Bella.

We drove away in absolute heart-breaking silence; far away from Forks and my love. Every time her face appeared in my memory, I clenched my hand together so tightly and tried to live through the agonizing ache of pain that was shooting like daggers through my empty chest.

I flinched when a hand slipped down my arm and then gripped my hands tightly. I looked up into my sister, Alice's golden eyes and wished desperately, more than I had ever in my whole life, for the tears that I knew would never come. She whispered softly to me, trying to soothe the pain in my undead heart, which was refusing to be soothed. "It'll be ok, Edward. It willl be okay."

I wanted nothing more than to explode in anger; wanted to scream at her, at all of them, how could anything ever been okay ever again. How could anything in this miserable world ever be okay again when the hand she gripped so tightly right now had last touched my friend; my lover's face and also pushed her away; had betrayed her in the most grievous way. I had _lied_ _to her; _had watched as I told her that I could never love a human – when the only one I would ever love was human.

The pain inside me blocked out all the voices around me, nothing was going to break through this shell of pain; except Alice apparently. "Edward, please, we have to go back. We can work it out, please Edward. Let us go back. She needs us."

Her pleading voice broke my already broken heart, but the vision that flowed from my mind to hers, killed me inside. Bella was crumpled on the forest path, broken down by uncontrollable sobs that were wracking her tiny, fragile body. And I just couldn't take it anymore. "STOP IT!"

I knew that everyone was staring, but I did not care in the slightest. Bella was alone and in pain, and I could not bear to see what I had done to her. She deserved the chance to live. I told her that quietly, my voice cracking with pain. "We had to leave. She deserves so much better."

I knew my family was confused, I could feel their stares; hear their thoughts. But I just wanted this all to go away, I wanted to be able to mourn alone for the loss of my love, and probably for an eternity. My family must have sensed that I didn't want to talk anymore because they remained silent; except Alice of course. "Edward, I hope you have thought this through, and you realize what could happen. What if Bella tries to kill…"

I cut her off before she could utter the word that I never wanted to hear; I knew what she was precisely thinking and I couldn't even stomach the thought of it, let alone hear it said aloud. Bella wouldn't do that, she had promised.

I had to reassure her though and I had to convince myself that would never happen, Bella had promised. "Bella would never do that, not to Charlie… she promised."

There was absolute silence at my words, but I knew that I was going to hear a lot of confused voices in the next moment, and they didn't disappoint.

"What is going on Edward?" They all asked in unison, but I couldn't bring myself to tell them what Alice had said. I just closed my eyes and repeated quietly, "She promised."

I could feel everyone turning to look at Alice, and then she spoke; quietly and shakily. "I was just trying to warn Edward that Bella might try to kill… Oh my God!"

Her voice trailed off in horror, and I looked up just in time to see her eyes cloud over and seconds later a vision invaded my mind. A vision of Bella who was running and running aimlessly and then the vision blurred, hazy with indecision, but when it returned, agony tore through me like a knife in my heart. Bella was standing at Chief's Head Peak, looking down at the churning waters. And a second later her frail, lifeless body was tumbling down into those unforgiving, crushing waters.

A howl of pure agony and torture tore through my throat, as I ripped the door from its hinges and bolted. To my darling Bella, praying to get to her before it was too late.


	4. Heartbroken I Will Cry

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 3

Alice - Heartbroken I will cry

As my horrible vision faded, the door was torn from it hinges with a sickening snap, as my brother disappeared in blind torment and pain. Edward was gone, and god knows what he would find when he got there. I hoped more than I had ever hoped for anything, that he would make it in time to save her.

Esme's arm wrapped around me tenderly; her motherly instincts shining through, as she coaxed me, her voice dripping with concern. "Alice darling, what did you see?"

I shuddered noticeably, and Jasper wrapped himself around me in a fierce embrace. I knew he was confused; he could feel my pain and horror, but he had no idea why I was feeling it. He whispered in my ear slowly and softly, knowing full well that everyone else would hear. "Alice, why did Edward leave?"

Anguish filled me completely inside, and I never wanted to utter the words that I had to tell them. It was too horrible to imagine, that my sister; my best friend could be gone forever, but I had to do it. I had to speak the words that would tear my family apart. Time seemed to stop as I whispered hoarsely. "Bella, she um… she jumped."

A collective gasp echoed throughout the car, as I forced out the rest of the information with a shaky voice, unshed tears glimmering in my eyes. "Somewhere at Chief's Head Peak, the highest peak I think."

Horror contorted their faces, as it all sunk in. Esme whispered softly, her voice aching with pain and disbelief. "No… Not Bella… not my baby…"

Then from in the distance, an inhuman cry of pain and despair echoed around us, heartbreakingly broken. "She promised… she promised…"

Within seconds, we were all running to the source of the sound; to a very broken Edward.

By the time we reached him, he was crouched motionlessly on the peak where Bella was supposed to be standing and sobbing tearlessly. Oh god Edward, I couldn't even imagine his pain. Until he looked up, into my eyes and my own soul splintered and crumbled to dust from the sheer anguish in his eyes. It was like he had died along with her, but was still alive and all that remained was total pain, suffering and torment.

I clutched Jasper's arm tightly to hold him up before he could hit the ground, writhing around in pain from all the emotions attacking him. He remained standing, but just barely; grinding his teeth against the pain.

"Alice." I looked at Edward now. He was holding a slip of vibrant blue fabric against his heaving chest as he spoke. A piece of cloth we all immediately recognized; it was a strip of Bella's shirt. He whispered hoarsely, but there was a conviction that lay in his words; steely and unwavering. "You will find her."

I just nodded dumbly at him, then closed my eyes and let the dark emptiness wash over me, and then I focused my entire being on Bella. I tried so hard to pinpoint her location, anything about her, but there was nothing; just an empty, black abyss where her cloudy future should have been. Slowly, hoarsely, I uttered one word; "Nothing."

My voice was cracking with pain; my heart breaking because at that moment, I alone knew the horrible truth. And I would have to tell them this horrible truth, but before I could explain, Edward's contorted scream brought me rapidly back to reality. "LOOK HARDER! DAMN IT, ALICE! LOOK HARDER NOW!"

Unphased by his anger, because all I knew was this pain heaving in my chest, I clung to Jasper as he winced at the rage flowing from Edward in waves. I couldn't bear to look him in the eye, so I looked down at my feet and stated softly, my heart going out to my poor, defeated brother. "I can't Edward."

I looked up then to gaze at their confused faces, and then I couldn't keep it all inside anymore. I couldn't stay strong anymore; and I broke down sobbing. When I finally stared him in the eye, I knew I was looking into the gateway of his broken soul, looking into my own feelings magnified a million times over.

Then I spoke the words I wished with everything I had never to speak, the words I knew would destroy him. "Edward, there is nothing. No future at all."

His very soul shattered before my very eyes, and I cringed away in pain, and I had to turn away from him. It was too hard to look at him.

Turning to my family, I whispered. "Bella…" My voice cracked over her name; my best friend's name, one I would never see ever again, "… she's gone."

Everyone just stared blankly back at me, before horror and disbelief washed over their empty expressions; except for Edward.

He just rocked back and forth on his knees, silent sobs wracking his body; as he whispered her name over and over and over again, begging her to come back to him.

As I looked around, I knew. We would never be the same ever again.

I wrapped my arms around Jasper with unshed tears in my eyes; as I listened, along with the rest of my shell shocked family, to my brother's broken heart cry out in anguish.


	5. The Lies That They Told

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 4

Bella - The Lies That They Told

People have always said that time heals all wounds and that all memories eventually fade. And they said they loved me; all the lies that they told.

Gritting my teeth and grinding them together, I fought back the rush of emotions that tried to break down the barriers holding all of me together; holding my heart together. Cringing when I couldn't stop the anguish in my very soul, I cried out painfully to the person moving about excitably downstairs. "Aurelia…please help me."

The effect was immediate; ridiculously so. The emotions blindly destroying me from the inside out eased just like that; banished to the deep recesses of my being. "Thank you."

"No problem, mum."

Aurelia's beautiful wind chime voice echoed throughout our house, like a sudden calm in a deadly storm. Sighing softly, I thanked god for this blessed soul, who was like a balm to my dark, twisted one.

Calling softly, I reminded my baby of our cover, not that she really needed reminding, but habits were hard to break even now. "Aurelia, baby, don't call me that. You can't if we're both eighteen; it'll be way too odd. Its Bella remember?"

Her melodious voice, which I knew almost better than my own, echoed up the stairs and into my room. "Okay, BELLA."

Smiling absently at her childish attitude, I stared at the reflection of myself in my full length mirror. A single glistening tear slid down my cheek, as I gazed sullenly at my perfect figure. I was beautiful, I knew that much. Creamy white skin, cherry red lips, delicate features and curves in all the right places. I had the body every girl my age would die for; I sure had, literally. But it meant nothing to me anymore; it didn't matter that I was beautiful beyond compare; flawless even. I had been called that many times, over and over and over again, by every generation since I ventured back into the world for eighty long, long years now.

I felt cursed, doomed to wander this world for an eternity; a prisoner to my own fate, which at this moment I neither loved nor despised. Mechanically, I slowly ran a horse-hair brush through my silvery hair. I missed the brown it used to be once. And the length; it barely reached my jaw line now, but I guess it suited me. Oh well.

Flicking the blackened tips of my silky hair up slightly, I let out a soft sigh before slipping my clothes on. A Gucci black mini skirt and black halter neck, that barely reached my navel. Slipping on my trademark black combat boots, I added red tear drop earrings and a red wrist band. Turning back to the mirror, I smeared dusky black eyeliner to my eyelids and blood red lipstick to my full, pouty lips.

When my reflection stare back at me, I smiled a phantom smile; neither happy nor disappointed. The words gothic angel barely covered what I looked like. And they couldn't have been truer, unless I suddenly sprouted silver wings.

"Bella, we have to go, NOW!"

Rolling my eyes, I flicked on a pair of slim line Gucci shades and sent Aurelia a message through my thoughts. "We may be posing as twins, young lady, but I am still your mother. And I will kick your ass if I have too."

Her tinkling laugh reverberated through the house at my so very menacing sarcasm. "Sure, mum… but you'll have to catch me first!"

Before I could utter a reply, the front door slammed open and then shut, as tires screeched and spun in the street outside our house, "CHEATER!"

She simply laughed when I yelled at her; she knew I wasn't really mad. It was totally fake fury; luckily for her. Grabbing my black studded tote, I ran with vampire speed, and of course grace, to my gleaming black Ferrari. God, I loved this car. More than myself I think.

Slipping into the front seat, I floored the accelerator; and the tires screeched against the black tarmac, as I sped crazily after Aurelia's dust trail. Overtaking her beautifully sleek red Ferrari, easily I must say, I reached the high school car-park and sped right on through; my perfectly-honed reflexes taking over.

Locking the steering wheel, I turned a full 360 degree skid before ending up perfectly in my park; if you're going to make an entrance, do it with style, I must say. Smiling, I watched my baby follow my stunning example to perfection. That's my girl.

As we slipped gracefully out of our cars, I could feel the stunned stares of the entire student body; not to mention the dropped jaws and death glares from our fellow class mates. Oh well. "Way to make an entrance, I must say; perfect skid, Aurelia."

She smiled broadly and replied, "If only you could hear what they are all thinking right now in this second…"

Staring at the building before me, completely oblivious to the drooling boys and envious girls my daughter and I left in our wake; I muttered softly under my breath, "I bet I could guess…"

I didn't even try to hear Aurelia's reply. I just kept staring at the building that loomed higher and higher before me, as we got closer.

"Forks High," my softly whispered words were lost to the wind.


	6. Scene Of My Nightmares

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 5

Edward - Scene of My Nightmares

Slumped against my bedroom wall, I cranked up the volume of my ipod to max., and listened listlessly; trying to drown out all the voices that echoed from downstairs; unsuccessfully.

Unable to drown them out, I simply ignore them, and stared down at the single photo cradled in my fingertips. It was folded, fading and torn a little; probably from the handling it had received over the last few decades, but still it was so clear, and so very haunting. It was Bella; my Bella.

Gasping at the sharp spasms of pain that pounded through my unbeating heart, I cringed. Even after all this time, eighty years, nothing had changed. She still had my heart; always has, always will be.

"Edward, sweetie, you had better come down. It's time for a family meeting." I winced slightly at Esme's over-motherly and overly-concerned tone, it made me feel like a child that needed to be coddled. I wasn't a child, I was a monster; I didn't deserve sympathy. Reluctantly I trudged down the stairs, walking to the living room, knowing exactly what to expect. It was another family meeting; translation - we were moving again.

And I know that Carlisle thinks that we all need to be in on the decision, but after all this time, I don't know why they bother to call me down anymore. I couldn't care where we go; it didn't matter, nothing did. Not anymore.

Sliding onto the single empty couch; away from the happy couples, I sat back and looked down at my hands, avoiding all eye contact. Forcing all their sympathetic and comforting thoughts out of my mind, it remained empty for a moment then unconsciously drifted to thoughts of Bella. Like always.

Yet the pain still washed anew over me, like it was just yesterday that I had lost her and Jasper winced softly, looking meaningfully in my direction. Muttering an apology, I tried to tone down my feelings of pain, but to put it simply; I was almost beyond caring about it anymore. He would never feel the true extent of my pain, they were completely oblivious to the torment I live through each day and the guilt and loneliness I endured every night.

Snapping me back to reality; Carlisle's soft, diplomatic tone called everyone to listen, a feat he had perfected so many years ago, long before I had met and lost the love of my miserable existence. "Okay, as you all know, it's time to move on again."

Then he turned to me, and I just gazed back at him, only mildly confused with his actions, thoughts of my Bella stopping my once avid curiosity; she consumed me now. "Edward, we all know the pain that you've been going through, but this just is just not healthy; for you or those around you. It has to end sometime; you need closure."

Really confused now, I glanced at his concerned expression; which was somehow mingled with an odd expression of guilt? Worry? What was it?

Instead of trying to comprehend what he was saying, I simply echoed his words in question, all the while wondering absently why everyone was suddenly blocking their minds from me, "Closure?"

Carlisle nodded slowly, wincing at the hoarseness of my voice from practically years of disuse, and I suddenly had a feeling that I was not going to like where this conversation was going "Yes, Edward. We have to go back, for all our sakes."

I knew I wouldn't like it; my skin prickled and my hands shook slightly; my body trembling from the mere thought of going back there. There were no words to describe how much I didn't want to go back there.

"Not there, please… anywhere but there…" I knew I was begging and pleading, but I could not go back there. I couldn't bear to walk those streets… those halls.

"It's been eighty years, Edward. Something has got to change." Esme's voice was soft and pleading, but I knew better than to take it at face value. Underneath that innocent façade, lay a resolve; steely and strong; underneath them all.

Shuffling through my options, I panicked; it was either run for it or suffering in silence while going back with them. I had to escape. I had to run and get out of here, before they dragged me back to the one place on earth I never wanted to go within hundred feet of ever again.

"Do. Not. Even. Think. About. It." Alice's voice was low and even, her teeth clenched tightly. "We are going. We still have our old house and Esme has already re-enrolled us at Forks High. And they are expecting us; today."

I cringed noticeably this time. I couldn't run; they had ensured that, that were going to make me go back. No loopholes, no means of escape. Even if I did run away like last time, they would just drag me back. I could see the scenario running over and over in Alice's mind. I was trapped.

I gazed at them with glassy eyes full of unshed tears, then slumped and cradled my head in my hands. A sign of defeat; they knew that by now, but I couldn't help the whisper that escaped brokenly from my lips. "Please not Forks."

We were going back to Forks; the place I recognized as a place of death and loss and despair. Somewhere I never wanted to go, a place that haunted me still to this day.

Forks, Washington was the scene of every single one of my nightmares.


	7. My Daughter After All

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 6

Aurelia - My Daughter after All

Stepping out of my car and into the crowded car park, I flicked the door of my gorgeous red Ferrari closed and straightened my favourite dress out. It was a halter neck of the deepest royal blue, and it set of my features perfectly; my coppery-brown hair, cherry red lips and pale creamy skin, all of which I had gotten from my mum; well mostly. She is a beautiful woman, inside and out, and I loved her so much. She protected me when I couldn't protect myself, and now I protect her. It's the least I could do.

Sliding the hem off my dress back down to mid thigh where it belonged, instead of mere inches off my hips, I couldn't help but smirk at the thoughts that swirled around me, and mused softly "Blue is definitely my color, apparently."

My mum, I mean Bella, sighed absently once again, a trait in her I had gotten used to a long, long time ago. I knew that she was here in the flesh, but really she was a million miles away; her mind flickering between past and present, easing in and out of memories. "Of course it is baby, it looks heavenly on you. You are my daughter after all."

I turned to smile at her, but her brow was furrowed in concentration, and a soft frown marred her stunning face. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea for her after all, but we had to try, that was all anyone could do. "Closure, remember, mum. We'll just take it nice and slow, okay?"

She nodded slowly, but her fists were still clenched tightly and a single crystal tear slid down her pale cheek, as she fought desperately to control the feelings and emotions and memories building inside her.

It killed me to see her hurting like this, and as much as I knew she needed to confront the past, I couldn't watch her like this. So I took the easy way out. Searching out every thought that was at this moment causing her so much pain; all the memories that were causing such heartache, I blocked from her temporarily. We still had time to do this; just very, very slowly. She needed to bend to save herself, not break. "Slowly, mum, slowly. Let it heal."

She smiled gratefully; a soft smile lighting up her face at the reprieve from her pain, then she walked to the small, shabby front office; beckoning me to follow her. So I did.

Leaning lightly on the reception counter, I listened half-heartedly as she filled in our details. Just like every new school we had attended in our many years; except, this one was so very different.

"Okay, Arabella, that's everything. Are you nervous about your first day?"

I could actually feel her stiffen to a marble statue over her name; she did it every single time. The name felt foreign to her, and she hated it. And this nosy, over-enthusiastic receptionist was just making things worse for her than they needed to be. After a lengthy pause, she finally replied; her answer clipped and her tone icy and detached. "I'm fine."

So untrue, I thought absently, she was never fine. Hadn't been for over eighty years now; and wouldn't be for a long time; if ever.

"We've been expecting you and I'm sure everyone will be pleased to meet you both. Is this your sister?"

Bella nodded slightly, a fake half-smile on her lips and deadly daggers in her eyes. She was annoyed and frustrated now, so when she withdrew slightly, I took over as was our silent arrangement that had worked many times over the years. Addressing Mrs. Robins, I answered her calmly. "My name's Aurelia and I am Bella's twin. Sorry about her behavior, but she is really not much of a talker."

Mum's thoughts flowed through my mind within seconds, just like I knew it would. - I resent that -

I chuckled under my breath; inaudible to human hearing. She was going to be okay for now, but we both wanted to get out of here; right now. "Well if we don't hurry up, we are going to be late, so if we could just have our class schedules, we will be on our way then."

Mrs. Robins' smile faded slightly, but she handed over our schedules silently without another word. Thank god.

Leaning forward slightly, I flashed her one of my most dazzling smiles, while taking the papers from her hand. Then I spoke to her quietly, but bluntly; my voice falling to an alluring tone that was irresistible to humans. "We weren't placed in any Phys. Ed classes, right?"

Dazzled, and stunned, Mrs., Robins simply nodded dumbly and my smile widened to a broad grin. Good. Mum hated Phys. Ed., and I wasn't that fond of it either, to be completely honest.

Waving goodbye to the still stunned receptionist, I danced out of the room, on the tips of my toes and pulled mum after me. She was deep in the wilderness again and I had to snap her out of it before she dragged herself to places that just weren't safe to go yet. "Stop brooding."

I tried to be serious, but couldn't keep the smile off my face; she looked like a completely typical Emo the way she was dressed and acted.

- Watch it, young lady –

The soft growl that escaped her throat was so half-hearted that it was almost sad, even for her. Laughing, I replied, completely unfazed by her pathetic, fake anger. "You're a young lady too, so there. Come on, first class is starting."

Speeding down the hall at top speed, I giggled at the musings that trickled into my head from hers.

- Okay, I'll meet you there. And slow down, for god's sake, you'll fall down if you run like that. You are my daughter after all -

"NEVER," I shouted the words, because she was already miles behind me, with the slow walk she was using. But she was right. And I knew it.

As my laughter echoed through the empty halls, a tear slid down my cheek, as memories too invaded my own mind; and my heart hurt. I was her daughter after all.


	8. Blind Assumptions

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 7

Edward - Blind Assumptions

We were in the little town of Forks, again.

Digging my heels into the ground, and probably leaving huge gouges in the cement pathway, I put up a fight against Emmett and Alice who were each holding one of my arms and pulling me along after them, My hands clenched, and my teeth ground together, but I might as well have faced it. I was fighting a losing battle.

Her golden eyes flashing, Alice put her tiny hands on her hips and declared menacingly, "Edward, you can fight the whole way if you want, but that'd be stupid. We are going to school."

Her thoughts that invaded my mind were somewhat softer, but in no way anymore lenient. - Edward, I know it's hard; it has been for all of us. Please, don't make it any harder. Just come on -

A soft growl ripped through my throat, and my hand bunched even tighter together, but I gave in. They would win eventually; Alice had probably already seen it. If they all were this determined, I would be six against one; I didn't have a chance.

"Fine" I muttered the words in defeat, but I knew she heard. Running my fingers through my unruly, bronze hair, I sighed again. I wasn't ready for this; I really didn't want to do this.

At the entrance to Forks High, my unbeating heart tore painfully, and I couldn't have hidden the wince that escaped me even if I had tried. I knew that they had heard it; stupid vampire hearing.

And I also knew that right now they were pretending not to notice, but I heard them thinking it; stupid vampire powers.

- Oh, Edward, come on. It'll be okay - (Alice)

- Turn down the pain a notch, please. Ouch - (Jasper)

- God, if I hate it here, Eddie must want to kill something - (Emmett)

- Oh, I wish I could do something - (Rosalie)

I tuned them all out; not being able to bare them, but before I could, one last thought hit me; an excited one, from _Rosalie? _Well that's new.

- Oh wow! Oh wow! Oh wow! Got to go -

Before I could even ask what the hell had caught her attention just like that, she was gone. Out the door and on the black tarmac; running before she even hit the ground.

"What is up with her?" Emmett sounded so confused, that it would've been funny, if we didn't happen to be so confused about what had just happened. Parking the car in the closest park, I followed everyone out, heading in the direction Rosalie had shot off to.

- Oh freaking wow! - The words were echoed in everyone's thoughts, as we watched Rosalie's hand shake a little as it reached out to caress the top of s practically new, sleek black Ferrari. Her mouth was open in awe at her favourite car, and then dropped in shock when she noticed that its blood red twin was parked perfectly near bye.

The second her fingertips touched the gleaming black paint work, she let out a contented sigh, and that's when we heard it.

"Do. Not. Touch. My. Car. Again."

At the sudden melodious voice, Rosalie jumped back; quivering at the menace that coated those words like venom, something I had never seen her do. Rose was also the least intimidated by things, but something in that voice commanded obedience and instigated fear.

The darkly tinted windows rolled down slowly, no longer hiding this stranger behind its smoky glass, and a sharp voice repeated, "Never touch my car again, or you will live regret it." With that, her voice lowered from dripping venom to a purring growl and we all stood shell-shocked; everyone's thoughts echoed one word; Vampire.

The door clicked open, and then swung out quickly, missing Rosalie by mere inches; as she jumped back a foot. A lithe, darkly-clad body gracefully slipped out of the dark Ferrari and stretched upwards. My family's thoughts bombarded my mind within a millisecond.

- How is there a vampire here? Why didn't I see her? - (Alice)

- She is smoking - (Emmett)

- Where the hell are her emotions - (Jasper)

- She is hot! Oh damn, Eddie, don't tell Rosie I said that - (Emmett)

- How dare she be pretty like that? Stupid little punk-ass Goth - (Rosalie)

- Gorgeous babe. Damn it, I did it again - (Emmett)

Shutting them all out, I could only stare at the creature before me, and think that Emmett was utterly right for once. She was stunning. Her hair was a cloud of silver, darkening to charcoal tips. Her perfect figure was clad in a scanty black ensemble with combat boots. Surprisingly, on any other person, this would've made her a slut; but it suited her; perfectly. It contrasted so strongly to her smooth creamy skin. And the little makeup she wore didn't hide her face, it accentuated it. She looked beautiful.

And she was a vampire, but what type of vampire?

Unconsciously, Rosalie's fingertips went forward to touch her dream car, and before any of us could stop her, they made contact with the hood. Suddenly she shrieked, and backed off sharply. Emo vampire's arm had shot out like a bolt of lightning, faster than I had ever seen, and locked Rosalie's wrist in a death grip for a second before something in Rosalie's wrist cracked, and Rose shrieked in pain.

"I warned you." Her heavenly voice stated evenly, a slight hiss under toning her words, as she smirked; marring her beautiful face.

Cradling a shocked Rosalie in his arms, an enraged Emmett roared loudly at the girl before us, his famous temper coming out full force. "What the hell!"

They all turned to me, and Emmett yelled again, this time at me for answers. "Who the hell is she?"

Searching through thought after thought, I sorted away the entire sickening human ones and focused carefully on finding her 'voice.' After a few minutes, I let out an aspirated sigh when I finally realized she must be immune to my mind-reading. Just like Bella had been. I winced.

Again, her wind chime voice pealed out around us, beautiful and cruel all at the same time; was that even possible? I winced at her words, hearing the disdain and loathing dripping off them in buckets, why did she hate us so much already? "I told you not to touch."

Jasper's quiet voice cut across the tension, confusion tainting his words, as he spoke up; a look of fright and wonder on his face. "Who are you?"

- And where the hell are your emotions - When he afterthought trickled into my mind, I was suddenly completely confused along with him. Why hadn't I noticed before that she was empty; a blank canvass of emotion, but before I could contemplate that any longer, her voice rang in my ears, a sneer marring her perfect pouty lips. "That's none of your business now is it?"

- Wow. Hot, crazy chick has a temper, but if she even thinks about hurting Rosie again - (Emmett)

Alice finally piped in, her face confused and her mind trying hard to dig up something on this girl. "Can you take your sunglasses off, please; we just have to know something."

Sneering at us again, we cringed, but she just flicked her charcoal shades to the top of her head and replied to Alice's request darkly. "No one learns my secrets, pixie."

But no one was really listening by that point. Every mind was focused on the magnet that was her terribly unique eyes. Around her charcoal black pupils were irises of liquid silver. Not red, not gold, but silver.

What the hell?

When I finally found my voice, I blurted the first thing that sprang to my still half-boggled mind. Which was probably not the best idea in the world, and I would most likely regret. "Are you blind?" Yeah, I regretted that one the second the words left my mouth.

"No, I am not blind, asshole."

- Whoa, now I can feel her emotions; rage, hate, anger, pain? - (Jasper)

Through his mind, I could suddenly feel the intensity of said emotions and shuddered. How on earth could one tiny little body house so many violent emotions, without destroying itself in the process? Then suddenly they stopped; just like that; completely gone. No emotions at all.

- What the hell? -

My thoughts echoed Jasper's exactly, and I watched this vampires every move, trying to figure out what had just happened. Clicking one ruby fingernail on the hood of her car, she completely ignored our presence in front of her, seemingly calm. Not like someone who was utterly devoid of emotion. She must have a power.

She was waiting for something though. And then that something was running straight at us at top speed, well top human speed. In a flash of blue and gold, another person was before us; a restraining hand on Miss Attitude. Jasper looked the pair up and down, and then muttered softly, "weird emotions."

Reading his thoughts, I found this new girl's emotions, and was shocked at what I found. Anger, hatred and concern were pulsing through her petite body; her petite human body. Her beating heart hit us all and the realization rocked me. A human was physically restraining a vampire.

Her gaze found mine and she glared at me, her chocolate eyes flashing. Wrapping one arm around her 'friend,' she placed the other on her hip and spoke; her voice high and clear. "It's not nice to read other people's thoughts and emotions you know."

Then her eyes flickered in Alice's direction, angry and hard, while her lips curled into a sneer of contempt. "And I like my future to be a surprise, thank you very much."

Then they all disappeared just like that; her thoughts, her emotions, her future. They were all gone, and all our voices echoed the same words. "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?"

She smirked now, her beautiful face twisted with an odd mixture of anger, disdain and humor, "Aurelia Snow, thank-you."

- Well that clears things up - (Emmett)

- Well these two are bitches - (Rosalie)

Aurelia growled loudly, the sound emanating from deep within her chest and echoed in our ears. My whole family stepped back, as her face filled with unquestionable rage.

- Oh damn, now she's angry - (Jasper)

"Don't you dare call us bitches, you two-faced, back-stabbing vampire."

Rosalie physically recoiled at her low, angry words.

Suddenly, Emo vamp slammed her arm across Aurelia's chest and hissed loudly, even to make me flinch, but Aurelia did not move an inch, was completely unphased; just stood there seething anger. Emo suddenly spoke, her voice a thunderbolt of anger and rage. "All of you better back off, before I let her attack you."

I had had enough of whatever the hell this was. So I yelled. "What the hell is going on here?"

Neither girl answered, they just turned on their heels and stormed off, calling over their shoulders. "No-one learns our secrets."

We all just stared at their retreating forms, and I yelled for the umpteenth time since we had got here today. "What the hell?"


	9. With All That I Am

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 8

Bella - With All That I Am

I knew the second I sensed a hand reach out and dare to touch my car; my dark-hearted baby that I would regret this day; regret coming to this town, or living in this world; this freaking life.

Growling quietly, inaudible to humans or freaking vampires, at the audacity and stupidity of some people; I finally called out, my voice ringing out high and clear. "Do. Not. Touch. My. Car. Again."

Someone jumped back; I could feel her body quivering from the anger and menace in my tone, and I smiled. I loved how I could do all that with just six words. Reluctantly I rolled down my baby's smoky window to address the stupid person who had dared to defile my car with their hands, and my body stiffened when I saw who it was.

Rosalie… freaking… Cullen. They were here too. HE was here too.

Of all the times that they had to come back here, it just had to be when I was finally brave enough to dare to come back here; freaking great.

I took the offensive immediately. If this was the same game, I was going to be the attacker this time; not the helpless victim. This was do or die; literally.

"Never touch my car again, you will live regret it."

I knew anger was overshadowing every other feeling inside me, and that was so incredibly dangerous that I couldn't even begin to explain how dangerous it was, but in that second I didn't care. All my training went out the window just like that. I was a woman scorned. And hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

All freaking five of them just stood there, shocked, and I knew what they were thinking, because it was written so very plainly on all their faces, Vampire.

Swinging my door open, I slid my legs out and stood up in front of them; stretching a little, before I cringed inwardly at the reaction I got from them as I did. They were all just staring. Damn.

Alice's and Jasper's faces were twisted with confusion, while Rosalie was predictably torn between anger and jealousy at my obvious beauty. Emmett was grinning widely, and somewhat stupidly; something's never change with time. Emmett definitely was one of them. Then there was one.

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eyes, and a growl built up in my throat as that lying, little devil continued to shamelessly look me up and down like I was a piece of meat for sale; bastard.

Then Rosalie must have had a brain lapse again, because she did a very, very stupid thing. She touched my car, my baby. One thing she obviously never learned; never kick a bitch when she's angry.

My hand snapped out, unconsciously and practically unnoticeable because it was so incredibly fast, and locked around her wrist. Gripping lightly, I tensed slightly, and I felt the sickening snap of her wrist bone. I quickly let go; controlling my anger, before I did permanent damage to her arm, not that she didn't deserve it. I had told her what would happen after all. "I warned you."

Emmett rushed forward and cradled his Rosalie in his arms, then roared at me angrily for the injury to his wife. "What the hell!" Then he suddenly turned around to face HIM and shouted, "Who the hell is she!"

HE was silent for a while, a look of concentration on his face, one I remembered so well. After a few moments, his face relaxed slightly as he let out an annoyed sigh. HE knew I was immune now.

As Emmett continued to cradle his whimpering Rosalie in his arms, I forced all the venom I could manage to muster into one simple sentence. "I told you not to touch."

Jasper's calm voice cut through the tension, and I could vaguely feel his influence trying to calm me, but it was nothing now. His power was utterly useless against one such as me. "Who are you?"

Even more venom then I thought was even possible, even for the likes of me, dripped off my reply, to the complete impertinence of his question. "That's none of your business now is it?"

Alice finally entered the fray, and I was mildly surprised that it took this long for her to speak her mind. Was she not the hyperactive prancing pixie that I remembered? Oh well, it was no great loss to me now. I did soften slightly when I heard her voice; she had been my best friend on the planet, albeit a long time ago, but I bristled quickly at her words. "Can you take your sunglasses off please we just have to know something."

I sneered at her, my lip curling violently over my pointy, pearly teeth. My deadly teeth that screamed run away from me. But I flicked my Gucci sunglasses atop my head anyways and replied darkly. "No one learns my secrets, pixie."

Especially you freaking, back-stabbing Cullens, I muttered inaudibly. But not a single one of them heard either comment; they were all just staring at my eyes; my ridiculously unusual silver eyes. God, I hate when they stare.

Confusion flooded all their faces, and then HE had the nerve to speak up and talk to me; bastard. "Are you blind?"

God, I hated it even more when they asked questions; especially HIM.

My whole body began to shake in anger, and I seethed out the venom-laden words that flowed through my mind. All through clenched teeth. "No, I am not blind, asshole."

My emotions, primarily anger, were reaching epic proportions and I could felt Jasper cringe. Damn, I thought I had better control. Then HE cringed away too, but I did not feel a single drop of pity for them. They could only feel a speck of my pain and rage.

I sent Aurelia a message quickly, before things got out of hand, and I tried to kill them in the middle of the Fork High parking lot. - Can you make the emotions stop please, and come and get me before I do something I regret, well might regret, maybe -

And they stopped so suddenly that Jasper and HIS faces' both registered such shock and confusion that I almost laughed; almost. They looked like they were about to burst, but I ignored them and tapped one fingernail on my car; waiting. With a faint swish of the wind, she was next to me, a restraining hand on my arm.

"Weird emotions," At Jasper's whispered comment, I could feel Aurelia tense up.

Her eyes narrowed suddenly and began flashing angrily. She wrapped her arm around me, placed her other hand on her hip and spoke accusingly to the Cullens. "It's not nice to read people's thoughts and emotions you know."

Then her glare switched to Alice before continuing, "And I like my future to be a surprise, thank you very much."

At that every single one if the Cullens' jaws dropped and they shouted out in unison, "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?"

I sent her another message quickly. - Tread carefully baby, remember you look like a human -

She simply smiled at me reassuringly, and then she turned and smirked at them answering their question serenely and evasively, "Aurelia Snow, thank-you."

I couldn't help but smile at her spunkiness, but then she growled aggressively. Confused, I watched as the Cullens stood there shocked. - What the hell were they thinking, sweetheart? -

She didn't answer me, but just stood there, her face twisting with contorted rage and then she finally screamed. "Don't you dare call us bitches, you two-faced, back-stabbing vampire."

Rosalie physically recoiled, and the rest followed her example.

- Stop, Aurelia - Her anger would almost be worst then mine. But she didn't stop, she just growled louder. Slamming a hand against her chest, I hissed at her, then turned to them and said coldly; unable to keep the hate and rage from my voice. "All of you better back off, before I let her attack you."

They all looked so confused that it was almost amusing, and then HE yelled at us. How dare he think he had the right to yell at us and demand answers he did not deserve! "What the hell is going on?"

I'd had enough of them, of HIM. And Aurelia agreed. Spinning on our heels, we stormed off and then called over our shoulders. "No one learns our secrets."

Then I heard Him yell again, in the distance, and I wanted to laugh. "What the hell?"

Aurelia did laugh then, and I joined her; though mostly half-heartedly. I hated HIM so much; that no word I could use could ever explain how much I hated him, but every step that took me further away from him and the rest of the Cullens broke my heart a little.

Glancing down at the revolting pink slip that Aurelia handed me, I sighed. Last class of the day: Music. Good. Aurelia and I could pass music easily, even if it was a mixed class with older students. She snorted her agreement, and I smiled at the daughter I knew so well; who knew me so well.

Oh god I loved my daughter so much, with all that I am.


	10. Class Straight From Hell

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 9

Aurelia - Class Straight From Hell

The second I stepped into Music Advanced 1, I felt like kicking myself in head, not an easy feat either, for not just biting the bullet and taking the damned physical education class that I loathed. Looking at the steadily filling classroom, I wanted to scream in frustration, my eyes remaining trained on the small group of students cut off from the rest of the class; every single freaking Cullen. I had just single-handedly put my mother on a silver platter and served her up to the wolves.

With my frustration, my slight concentration slipped, and immediately all their thoughts bombarded my brain, along with the rest of the class's inane musings; stupid fickle humans.

- The crazy bitches are here too? - (Rosalie)

- Who are they? - (Jasper)

- A vampire hanging around human, huh, what are the odds?' (Emmett)

- Why do they hate us? - (Alice)

- Who the hell are they? - (Edward)

I smirked softly at their comments, which I was positive they never even considered I could hear; then promptly shut them out along with the rest of the rooms; I didn't need them in my head. I tightened my psychic hold on mum too, she was going to need it to get through this class, and I really couldn't chance a slip up. Not in the middle of a classroom, and in front of five vampires.

I watched tentatively by the doorway, watching the Cullen family's every move and waited for my mother to show up. As she finally entered the room, I felt her stiffen immediately as a reflex, but continued to watch as she walked in quietly, head bowed and sat down in a secluded, empty desk; very far away from the Cullens.

- It'll be okay baby, come and sit down - As her thoughts trickled into my mind, I thought hopefully that she would be able to handle this and that she would be okay; hopefully.

Sitting down in the seat next to her, I just hoped that we would make it through this class unscathed and with a few brain cells intact, as the teacher droned on about basic things I had learnt decades ago. High school was a drag, seriously.

Mum's quiet thoughts awoke me from my sleepy stupor twenty minutes later, induced by the dulcet tones of the teacher who was slowly killing me with his voice and his lecture, and I raised my head a little to show her I was listening. - I need you to do something to help me. Just follow my lead -

I nodded just slightly; unnoticeably, while trying desperately to figure out what she was going to do in the middle of music class that could possibly require my help, when she raised her hand and spoke quietly. "I'll do it."

The teacher smiled, and then nodded his head in my mother's direction; while I unblocked his thoughts so that I could get some idea of what on earth she was doing.

- Wow, she's a brave one, usually no one volunteers. I just hope she doesn't play some Emo-angst music or something - With those thoughts echoing in my mind, it finally dawned on me what she was going to do and why she was going to need my help. Of course she would, there was no way in hell she would get through this unscathed if I didn't help her out. And as much as I thought it was too soon, I knew that all she wanted in this world right now was to heal. And that's what she was doing; healing.

She was going to sing.


	11. I Got My Wish And Regretted It

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 10

Bella - I Got My Wish and Regretted It

The teacher, a Mr. Adams, had been going on for a while now about the basics of music; which I thought was somewhat ridiculous, being that this is the advanced class, but whatever. Aurelia had been asleep mere minutes into the lecture but it's not like I could hold it against her, we'd heard it so many times now that either of us could do a better job.

When he finally rounded up his droll introduction which lasted over twenty minutes, he called for a volunteer to showcase their talents and kick-start the class for the year. Figuring this was an opportunity that was worth taking, regardless of who was currently in the room, I took it.

Sending Aurelia a message in my mind, I felt her hesitate for a second, confusion on her face; then her psychic hold on me tightened. Reassured that I wouldn't go ballistic now, I gently pulled down the walls I had carefully constructed around my heart. And repeated to myself over and over the words I needed to remember. 'It was time to put the past behind me; time to keep the world and my daughter safe… time to heal.'

Slipping my hand gracefully into the air; after Aurelia nodded her uncertain approval, I saw the flicker of recognition flash in her eyes and the good luck written all over her face. Smiling, I replied to Mr. Adams' question, "I'll do it."

At his nod of approval, I slid out of my chair and walked up to the front of the classroom, ignoring the stares that followed me in my wake. Wandering eyes didn't hold my interest in the slightest, I had bigger things on my mind.

Mr. Adams cleared his throat noisily when I reached him and his smile faltered for a second as he eyed me from head to toe, as every guy I ever met always did, but getting it from teachers still weirded me out a little.

"Sexual harassment," I smiled at Aurelia's comment, too low for any humans to hear, but all the vampires in this room could. I could only image what she was seeing, not that I wanted to, but least she had the power to shut it off; unlike HIM.

Finally after what seemed an eternity of mindless ogling, Mr. Adams spoke. "Thank-you for volunteering, Miss… ah…?"

"Snow, Arabella Snow. I will only need a guitar thank-you."

Shocked a little I guess at my total lack of interest in anything he could possibly say or recommend, he simply handed me a guitar from a shelf at the back. Taking it in my fingertips, I eyed it carefully; strummed the strings and tuning it a little.

Overall it was an okay guitar; still played beautifully and newly strung, but it wasn't truly beautiful. It probably had been once, but now it was just old, battered and used - just how I felt.

Slipping the worn strap over my shoulder blade, I caressed the strings lovingly, feeling the familiarity of this washing over me. Facing the class, I eased any ounce of nervousness away from me and addressed my peers calmly and softly. "Hello everyone, my name is Arabella Snow and this is a song that I wrote a long time ago now, when things weren't going so well for me. I named it Smoke and Mirrors."

Ignoring the smattering of applause, and the catcalls from hormonally-stressed out teenage boys, I strummed the intro chords and I zoned everyone in the room out. Imagining myself alone in my room, I gathered up the courage to finally sing the words I hadn't sung since I wrote them eighty years ago, but had been waiting in my heart all this time. The lyrics poured out from my battered soul like a soothing balm, my voice quiet and low as I sang, unaware of anyone but myself and this song.

"For someone so young and naïve

Hard to know what to believe

Still I thought I tried for a while

Turning round and giving up is not my style

On my own, on my own way"

Lifting my voice, I closed my eyes to block everything out more, and gently swayed my hips from side to side. Sadness leaked into my voice every time I sang the chorus, and my voice became husky with unspoken pain as I remembered anew what I had felt when I had penned every single word.

"Bottled up is where my fears go, my fears go

I will never show my fear

They'll tear me up until my tears show, my tears show

Smoke and Mirrors

You must try hard don't give in

Keep it up and you'll win

Don't let them know they get to you

Put on a brave face and you'll through

On your own, on your own way

Bottled up is where your fears go, your fears go

You will never show your fear

They'll tear you up until you tears show, you tears show

Smoke and Mirrors

This journey of ours never ends

We will always pretend

Fighting not to let them win

And they're falling for our own illusion

On our own, on our own way

Bottled up is where our fears go, our fears go

We will never show our fear

They'll tear us up until our tears show, our tears show

Smoke and Mirrors"

I stopped strumming the notes on the beaten up guitar and I opened my eyes once again, sweeping the spellbound room through my eyelashes. Then I met HIS eyes. And the reaction it caused inside me wasn't one of anger, nor was it one of rage; it was just pain; indescribable pain. And another crystal tear slipped down my cheek, as I sang those last words, my eyes still trained on his.

"It's about Smoke and Mirrors"

Silently, I slid the guitar off my shoulder blades and laid it down on Mr. Adam's desk. Moving past the shocked faces of the music class, I slipped to the back and into my seat once more, completely without a sound.

Sitting in the silence my performance had left in its wake, I smiled sadly.

I had always been the one to blend into the crowd, and though I had been shy, I had always wanted to stand out; to shine. But to do that I lost so much in my life, could still lose so much that was important to me.

I had gotten my wish and I've regretted it ever since.


	12. Fallen Angel

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 11

Edward - Fallen Angel

The very second she stood up, I was entranced by her. Behind that exterior which screamed leave me alone or I'll kill you, there was something, something about her that intrigued me and pulled me in.

As she walked up to the front of the class, I watched the gracefulness and perfection she achieved in such a mundane thing as walked; it was amazing. I mean, vampires were beautiful and perfect and everything, but she seem to achieve a new level of perfection. And she was so completely oblivious to the effects her unparallel beauty had on those around her. The sickening thoughts of every man in this room were all focused solely on her, and it boiled rage inside me to hear the disgusting and despicable things that those filthy human minds were actually capable of. Even the teacher for Christ's sake!

When her fingers plucked at those guitar strings, my whole body leant forward, waiting to hear the voice this angel could have, and it didn't disappoint anyone. Nothing could rival her voice

The lyrics to her song were heartfelt and deep; her song chilling and haunting in its levels of anguish and despair, yet also courage and strength. It was like she had experienced a pain so profound; a betrayal so deep, that to this day she still carried a measure of hell with her at every moment…

Questions swirled in my mind, what had happened to this girl? Who had broken her? Was she okay? Was she in danger? Did she need help?

When her song stilled for just a moment, and the sweet melody halted, her silvery eyes swept across the room, and then halted when they met mine. Caught up in the unique beauty of her eyes, I didn't notice the tears welling in them, until one slipped down her perfect marble cheek. And that's when I came undone.

The crushing urge to protect this woman from whatever was hurting and plaguing her consumed me and I wanted nothing more than to reach out and pull her into my arms. Comfort her and tell her that everything would be alright as I wiped her tears away; because angels shouldn't cry. And if she wasn't a angel, she was damn well the closest thing to one; a beautiful, fallen angel.


	13. Everything Is Broken

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 12

Bella – Everything is Broken

The class had been nearly silent since I had re-taken my seat, the still dazed Mr. Adams simply assigning theory for the rest of the lesson, before he slumped back into his chair. I had finished the work he set ten minutes ago, along with the assignments due at the end of the week. Sometime being a vampire did have its perks.

Sitting in my chair, I simply waited until the bell would ring and I could go home, far away from this place and its memories.

RIIIIIIIIING!

I was out the door before anyone had so much as picked up a pencil, my chest heaving and the anxiety I had been feeling all day finally exploded out into the open. I had to get out of there desperately. Away from HIM; away from them and away from the memories that were currently threatening to tear me apart. Bolting towards the exit, I swallowed my pride that I would be able to do this now, I couldn't; I was too damn broken. And now not only was I broken and ruined before compare, I was also mind numbingly hungry; God, damn it.

I wouldn't be able to stay here, even if I wanted to now, it was dangerous for me, for Aurelia, for the Cullens and for the entire population of Forks. I slid into the front seat of my Ferrari and slammed the keys in the ignition, trying to fend off the intense feelings of hunger until I could get further away; much further away; but it was getting harder, I was positively famished and I had to hunt soon.

Screeching out of the car park like a manic, I floored the accelerator and sped all the way home, reaching it within minutes. Not bothering to park probably; it left my car haphazardly in the driveway, the keys still in the ignition and ran, full bolt into my house. Grabbing a sheet of paper and a pen from the kitchen, I hastily scribbled a note for Aurelia, which was silly if I actually thought about it. She knew I only left for this reason, so she would understand not to be worried if I was home or how long I was gone. Still, call me an over-protective mother, but it was instinct, and it made me feel better.

Aurelia -

Sorry that I left all of the sudden, but I just can not handle this at the moment. It's too hard right now and too dangerous. I am off hunting, and I will be home as soon as I'm ready. Love you, Mum

PS. Please buy takeaway when you need it, I don't want you burning down the house. Thanks.

Placing the note on the dining room table where I knew she would find it, I sped out the door again and bolted once again. I always ran, it was like the thing I was best known for now; something I hadn't done when I was a human. I had never run.

But it wasn't my fault really, this is what I had to do now, bolt when things got to difficult. It wasn't just my life I was playing around with now. It was so much more than that now, just because everything had been broken.


	14. My Big Mouth

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 13

Aurelia - My Big Mouth

When mum streaked out of the classroom at a hundred miles an hour, I knew that this hadn't been a success; that she hadn't healed a little for all her efforts, she was slipping instead. Those damn freaking Cullens were going to be the end of us; of us all, at this rate and I had to do something to stop it.

Walking out of the classroom at a brisk walk, I practically sprinted to my Ferrari, my haven at this moment, knowing I needed to get away before I was followed. I heard light footsteps behind me and groaned; they were too light for any human, so it only left the Cullens. Damn them all to hell I wanted to scream at them and then beat the living daylights out of them, but I had to run away right now, not fight them; especially in the middle of the Forks High parking lot, swarming with students. But god, how I wish I could knock some sense into them, for being the most mindless being to ever walk this earth and the most cruel.

Running a top speed, I bolted down the tarmac; desperately trying to get away from the five vampires following me. I may be strong, but there was no way on earth I was going to be able to best all of them at the same time by myself. So I kept on running like a wild thing, when the inevitable happened. I tripped. Before my head hit the tarmac with a crack, I yelled out in my mind, screaming at whoever the fool is that thought genetic inheritance was a good thing… DAMN MUM'S HUMAN CLUMSINESS!

Finally the fact that I had just smacked my head into concrete hit me, and my vision blurred, before the world disappeared in the inky blackness engulfing me; but I knew it wouldn't last, it had never lasted the last few times it had happened. God I wish that it would last.

Opening my eyes, I immediately narrowed them; my body trembling in anger, frustration and a very large amount of annoyance. I was completely surrounded by freaking Cullens on all sides; yet I could also see the trees surrounding them, and feel the grass beneath me. So I was in a freaking forest then, with the freaking Cullens; the people I wanted to see least in the world right now, because at this moment I wanted to strangle each and every one of them… just great.

Seeing no other alternatives than using my lovely vampire skills, I hissed at them loudly and viciously, then smiled slightly when they all jumped back in fright and shock. And then I was on the ground. Scratch that; pinned to the ground by five set of hands. Gritting my teeth and grinding them together, I could feel the boiling rage bubbling up inside me violently; screaming to be released on the poor, unsuspecting lowlifes.

But I couldn't do that with them all holding my body to the ground, so I did the next best thing I could think of; I screamed. "LET. GO. OF. ME. NOW!"

They flinched at the sheer loudness of my demand, but still refused to budge an inch. Were they stupid or what? Who in their right mind pins an irate vampire to the ground and then refuses to let them go, even if said vampire is screaming at them to let her go?

My little rant in my head was interrupted by the thoughts running through Jasper's mind and Edward's as well, and when I read them I wasn't just angry anymore, I was enraged. God, I wanted to kill them; to let my rage take over. Let loose.

At Jasper's thought warning to Edward, who had yet to take my demand to release me seriously, I snapped. I'd show them anger. Feel them all you want, you backstabbing bastards. "You had better listen, Edward, Jasper is right. I AM SO VERY ANGRY!"

Everyone just stared at me wide-eyed for several moments, while Edward's mouth opened and shut wordlessly like a goldfish, before he finally whispered incredulously, "You can read minds?"

At that, something inside me just snapped. Well, not something, it was most definitely the rage and pain that had been building inside me for eighty years, but whose counting anyways? So that snapped, and suddenly there was a raging fire inside me that was burning wildly out of control, and my vision was filling with red. I glared at him and spoke the words I never thought I'd say after these eight long decades, to the man I had hoped I would never have to see. "Really, I had absolutely no idea. Now where do you think I got that from, Father?"

Time stood still for just a second after those words tumbled from my lips in a contempt-filled hiss, and I knew I had made a very big mistake. His head snapped up so fast you could practically feel the whiplash, and I cringed at the next word that left his mouth, "Father?"

And if that wasn't bad enough, everyone else decided to join in on the party, their voices echoing the word loudly after Edward's hoarse one, "FATHER?"

Damn, now mum is really going to kill me when she gets back. Forget burning the house down, compared to this, she'd let me burn down all of Washington and our house.

Slapping a hand to my lips to stop them from pouring out anything else in a fit of anger, I did the only thing that I could in this very, very bad situation; I ran for dear life and hoped that the Cullens were too stunned by my bombshell to even think about following me. God damn, my big mouth was going to get us all killed.


	15. Not Possible

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 14

Edward - Not Possible

I stared blankly down at the girl on the ground; who was currently straining against the arms that held her. And she wasn't the least bit afraid. Instead of screaming for help, all she did was hiss and demand that we let her go. Plus she was looking extremely pissed off.

Five vampires; five blood-sucking vampires, had her pinned to the ground in a secluded forest with no-one else around for miles, and she was angry; no not only angry, seething. What is it about this town that makes people lose any shred of self-preservation that they could possibly have?

Jasper's thoughts flooded through my mind in a warning. - I think maybe we should back off, Edward; her anger levels are off the charts, so much so that I want to kill you right now -

Just as that thought of his finished running through my mind and I contemplated listening to him for a second, an extremely clear order rang out though the forest, its owner's voice strained and tensed with barely suppressed rage. "You had better listen to him Edward, Jasper is right. I AM SO VERY ANGRY!"

Time seemed to stop for a second, as a disturbing thought flashed through my mind and decided to hang around for a while. She just heard Jasper thought's that he had directed at me, _The Mind-reader?_ Who in the hell was this girl? And why the hell could she read someone's, a vampire no less, mind?

I simply had to know; there was no other option; she could be a threat to us, to our lives. She needed to give us some answers; right now. "You can read minds?"

Considering the fact that only Jasper and I had any clue what had just happened, everyone else's head shot up and stared hard at the tiny, fragile _human_ before us with complete and utter confusion; Aurelia; the little enigma herself.

Her pale pink lips curled back over her teeth; in a way I thought only vampires could achieve, and she glared fiery daggers at us, then spoke evenly with distaste coloring her words; her voice high and clear and strained. "Really, I had absolutely no idea. Now where do you think I got that from, Father?'

And with that my whole world spun, and I whipped my head up to meet her gaze fully for the first time; my eyes meeting hers; her warm chocolate brown eyes.

Pain erupted through my body at the memory of those eye's on another's face; my Bella's face. Finally her word's registered in my fogged up brain, and I whispered hoarsely; unbelieving, "Father?"

My voice was so quiet that I doubted even my own family would be able to hear; much less a human, but everyone else reinforced my question with their own, very loudly. Well, they yelled it, "FATHER?"

Her beautiful brown eyes widened and she clapped a hand over her mouth; a look of pure horror on her face, then turned tail and bolted out of there like a bat out of hell.

The stunned silence that followed lasted about two seconds before I had Emmett, Rosalie, Alice and Jasper staring at me with unreadable expressions and one word screaming over and over in their minds like a broken record, that I again resented my gift for its inconvenience of me never having only my own thoughts in my head,

- FATHER? -

I slumped to the sodden leafy ground, and closed my eyes; my mind reeling over what the hell had just happened here because I was so utterly confused. What really just happened here?

"Since when do you have an eighteen year old daughter, Edward? How could you turn someone and not even have the decency to tell us? How could you? I know Carlisle taught you better than this." I cringed inaudibly at Alice's questions and accusations, and Jasper winced in unison with me. I would have normally apologized to him, but I just couldn't understand anything then. I couldn't't understand what just happened.

"But I haven't turned anyone, ever," the words left my lips before I even registered what I was saying, and Alice; with a disbelieving look on her face, simply turned to her husband for conformation. I already knew what he would say about that. He knew and I knew. I wasn't lying. "Then why on earth is this Aurelia chick saying that you're her freaking father, Edward?"

I shook my head from side to side, trying desperately to understand how this happened and why I was suddenly sucked into the middle of it. "I don't know, Alice, but I haven't turned anyone, ever. I know that, and you know I would have told Carlisle if I had."

Then Emmett, the joker as always, added his two cents worth. "Well then, have you slept with anyone lately?"

My mind froze from his words, and the words tumbled out of my mouth, before I could even realize I was saying them, or stop them. "No, not for over eighty years, not since B…" I snapped a hand over my mouth before _that_, my only secret, slipped out. But by the looks of the faces surrounding me, it was too late.

Alice began shrieked. Angrily; and there was nothing scarier than Alice when she was angry. "YOU FREAKING SLEPT WITH BELLA AND THEN FREAKING HAD THE NERVE TO LEAVE HER, SAYING YOU DID NOT LOVE HER ANYMORE!"

I hung my head in shame, and nodded simply; then listened as she railed on at me some more, twisting the knife of self-loathing that was in my heart even harder into my chest. "…IRRESPONSIBLE IDIOT… YOU ARE SO… HOW COULD YOU… YOU ARE GOING TO CARLISLE RIGHT THIS SECOND!"

I knew I should have run at that point, because seeing him right now just would not go over well. But I was already a million miles away, lost in my own cluttered and chaotic thoughts. Was any of this really true? Or was this some sick, sick joke that someone was playing on me; on my family. Could it actually be possible that I had a _daughter, _a human daughter that was here, right here and now, breathing and living?

But that would mean that she wasn't human - I just couldn't understand. We had all heard her heartbeat, smelt her blood; but there was no way on earth a human could survive for eighty years as a teenager.

This couldn't be my child; Bella was dead; stone, cold dead; buried in the Forks Cemetery. Aurelia couldn't be my child.

It was simply not possible.


	16. Postponing Hell

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 15

Aurelia - Postponing Hell

I arrived home; panting and flushed, and cursing myself to hell for what I had just done. What I had inflicted on myself, my mother, the Cullens and the world. What I could have just possibly unleashed.

The sands of time were slipping through my fingers now, and I couldn't stop a single grain from falling. I couldn't even warn her; by reading the note on the counter, I sighed when I knew she was long, long gone. And I had absolutely no idea where she was, or where she was heading or how long she would stay away from here; if she ever came here again. Damn.

Slamming one tightly clenched fist on the table, I wanted to scream out to the heavens and ask why in hell I opened my mouth and let those poisonous, venomous words escape my lips. I was a harbinger of destruction; an unleasher of hell, a demon dwelling here on this earth. I was not the chosen one, handpicked to suppress the evil that was ravaging this world. I was stupid, and idiotic and resentful.

Why on earth couldn't I just do my job properly like I was supposed to? Why did I have to feel all these emotions that only brought hurt and pain? Pain, anger and fear flowed like poison through me; it coursed through my veins like liquid fire, and I wanted so badly to embrace those feelings. To heap a fiery hell of retribution on those that had shoved me into this life; a life I didn't want to live; a life that could have been so easily avoided. God, why?

Smacking my forehead against the wall again and again, I cried out in hopeless desperation for someone to stop this. I didn't want to play anymore; I wanted out from this. I was too young to have this on my shoulders. No daughter should have to do this. I hated this.

Every fiber of my being rebelled against what I had to do; I didn't want to repair the damage my words had caused. I didn't want to have to hurt myself and sacrifice my life to stop this from getting any worse. I didn't want to have to go talk the Cullens.

The damnable freaking Cullens that had played such a terrible role in my life, and had all but forced me into the corner I was now trapped in. There simply wasn't any escape from this.

It's my job; my only purpose; really my sole reason for walking this earth.

To postpone hell for as long as I possibly can.


	17. Enter Aurelia

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 16

Edward - Enter Aurelia

Alice and Emmett had me pinned to the chair; making me practically helpless against their combined strength. Emmet alone was pretty much enough to contain even another vampire like myself, but with Alice as well, I didn't have a hope in the world of escaping this.

Not that I didn't try, I tried a lot. Repeatedly I struggled against their arms, and repeatedly they would push my down, effectively ending my attempts to get free. I just had to get free though; I had to get away before they finally got downstairs from what they were doing. They were so innocent of my wrongdoing in this. They still worried about me, ever since that horrible event eight decades ago. I just couldn't face them right now, not with this hanging over my head; anything but my parents.

How could any of them expect me to just sit here passively and then tell my vampire parents that the girl I slept with and then left eighty years ago; which resulted in her immediate death, may have given birth to a daughter who is stuck as a permanent teenager and still hanging around, whilst pretty much hating all of us with every fiber of her body. It didn't even seem plausible to me, a vampire that had seen so many odd things in my long lifetime. I couldn't do this.

I struggled again, but Emmett's hands just gripped my shoulder blades tighter and I winced despite myself. God, he was strong. I heard footsteps coming down from the stairwell and enter the room I was currently being held hostage in; this was not good, not good at all.

"What's so important guys that it couldn't wait until you had hunted? All of your eyes are positively black." Esme and Carlisle came into my crystal clear vision, and I hung my head in shame, not wanting to face what was to come. Esme was going to kill me for this; she expected me to be a gentleman. God, this was going to be so much worse than my rebellious years. 'Just pull out a lighter and kill me now' bad.

How could I even tell them what I had done? And what my actions might have caused? Especially since I didn't even know the truth, but then again I wasn't completely sure that I even wanted to know. Something tells me that it wasn't going to bode well for me.

Emmett, obviously separated by my silence, kicked me in the shin, and I winced, before I looked up into the honest, caramel eyes of my father, my mentor for nearly two hundred years now.

He was going to be so disappointed in me; mostly likely angry though. I'd be angry at me, I know I would be. I couldn't even bring myself to look at Esme; it would've been too much, that I know. How could I look into the eyes of my own mother and tell her I was the worst person on the planet. She already didn't feel very happy with me; she had lost a daughter because of me. Really, none of them were happy with me, but they had hidden it well, knowing that I had lost her too, forever. But I still knew that it was my entire fault. I was a monster.

Emmett AND Alice kicked me this time, when even more time had passed; minutes, hours, I didn't care. Their kick hurt though; damn our stupid vampire strength. They could kick just a little softer, it's not like I wasn't dreading this enough. I didn't need an aching leg too, but they got their message across by about the third or fourth kick. There was no backing out now; so I spoke, quietly and regretfully, wanting to retract every word I had to inflict on my poor, unsuspecting parents. "Carlisle, Esme, eighty years ago I did a stupid thing. I…um…"

Midway through my awkward non-speech that was going nowhere fast according to Alice's latest vision, the doorbell rang; its shrill call shocking through me and flooding my stiff body with relief. If only for a moment, I was saved by the bell; literally.

Alice bounced out of the room with her bubbling energy like usual as she searched and searched for a vision onto who would be there when she answered, but saw nothing. Suddenly a gasp filled the room when the door finally clicked open, and every vampire in the room was suddenly awash with the knowledge of the heart beating amongst us; a human.

As Alice walked back to the room with a stunned look on her face, she quickly looked behind her, disbelief flashing in her eyes. At that moment, awareness washed over me, but I prayed right then and there that I was wrong. Please god, this just was not the time for this right now. Not her, not now.

Alice finally turned to us and whispered, flicking one hand in the direction of the door and the steadily beating heart. "We have a visitor guys, she said she needs to talk about something very important with us…"

And in the next moment, my worst possible nightmare walked through the door. Her blue dress, slightly torn and grass stained, her cheeks flushed and chocolate eyes flashing - Aurelia.


	18. My Story

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 17

Aurelia - My Story

I softly breathed through my mouth, slowing my heart and stepped into view of the entire Cullen family. I noted the confusion on two of their faces, recognition on the other four and the pure horror on Edward's. It hurt for a second to see that look in his face directed at me, but I sort of understood where he was coming from. This probably wasn't the easiest information he had to accept in his life.

I smiled softly and frankly fakely because I did not feel in any way comfortable with these virtual strangers. The monster inside me wanted nothing more than to tear them to pieces, but I simply held my hands up and muttered a soft, "Peace."

At the confused looks on all their faces, which were almost laugh worthy, I sighed and re-alliterated. "I come in peace, okay?"

Someone finally found their voice, and I almost wanted to hug that person for disrupting the awkward silence that I thought would become never-ending.

"Hello dear, my children seem to know you, but exactly who are you?" I used the time she spent asking me questions at human speed, to gaze at the woman who talked to me, standing next to a tall man with blonde hair. As I looked into her beautifully caring caramel eyes, I smiled a genuine smile; probably the first one ever among vampires, aside from my mother.

But this was something different to what I experienced every day. This was my grandmother, maybe not by blood, but I knew that my mother had always seen Esme as her second mother, not to mention my father.

I followed her arm as it snaked around the waist of the tall guy with blonde hair. I knew instantly this was my grandfather; I had seen him many times in mom's thoughts. God, it was weird to have grandparents that were only a few years older than I was, but then again I did have a mother that was the same age as me; my so very twisted life.

"I am Aurelia Snow, Esme; it is very nice to meet you. Today, I know that I will have thoroughly confused your children, so I have come to set the record straight and tell you my story."

I saw, out of the corner of my eye, that Edward was just staring at me like he had seen a ghost, and well frankly I couldn't exactly blame him. I did look a lot like Bella. Well, what she used to look like when she was still human. I probably should sort out the freaking mess my stupid words caused. Turning to face him, dead on, I just took the direct approach and stated clearly; "Nothing I said was a lie, Edward. I truly am your daughter."

Esme's and Carlisle's heads shot up in my direction, with shock and confusion on their faces as they flicked their attention from me to Edward; their faces contorted as they tried to comprehend what I had just said. Anticipated what would happen, especially after the little forest scene, I covered my ears with my hands just before everyone shouted, "WHAT?" God, vampires were loud; hello, sensitive hearing.

When I was sure that they were done shouting, I unblocked my ears and looked down at my hands that were folded tightly in my lap. Closing my eyes tightly, I breathed in sharply than I whispered my answer. "Seventy-nine years ago I was brought into this world. My mother's name was Isabella Marie Swan."

I paused at their sharp intake of breath, just as I knew they would. I knew this would be a lot to understand, but they had to understand; for all our sakes. I open my mouth to continue, but before I could utter a syllable, Edward's soft musical voice whispered; and I could hear the anguish in his voice as he stuttered a reply. "But she died eighty years ago… she… she… died."

If only it was that simple, I muttered under my breath, too quiet for anyone else to hear; living with a vampire had taught me many useful things. I wanted to deny everything he was, but one thing I could never deny. It was the intense love that coursed through him like fire. Love for my mother.

He still loved her with everything in his soul. Damn, this was really not end very well. He was going to want to see her; I would expect nothing less of a vampire and his estranged soul mate. But it was completely and utterly out of the question.

I slowly swept the room with my eyes, and I watched as they all shuddered at Edward's words even minutes after. They all loved her. Damn. One vampire I could handle, but if all seven of them were determined to find her, there was no telling the damage they could do because I couldn't stop them. But there was no-where to go but forward, so I continued, "Not everything is as it seems, Edward. Eighty-years ago, when she was standing on Chief's Head Peak after you all left her; she did fully intend to kill herself. But then she felt me kick her for the first time; the shock I guess was too much obviously, considering she didn't even know she was pregnant at the time, and then she tumbled off the cliff.

Minutes before she drowned, Jacob Black of the Quileute tribe of werewolves found her and promised to care for her until I was born and beyond. She loved him so much for it, but he left her. It was my entire fault, I know that. When he did that, it very nearly killed her; she had trusted him so much."

I paused for a second, choking back the memories this talk was invoking in me. Alice shook softly and dry sobs wracked her petite body, unashamed over her tears. My heart ached a little for my aunt; I knew that she must miss Bella so much even now to be in this much pain over her. But I had expected nothing less; I knew they had been best friends.

"Bella was alive?"

I sighed inwardly at that question. I didn't want to tell them anymore, I wanted them to remember her as she was. A beautiful, innocent child that loved them with her everything, but they all deserved to know the truth. They had loved her; still loved her as far as I could see. And technically they were my family, I guess.

I finally gathered the courage to look into Alice's honey gold eyes, and told her the truth that would change everything in their lives. "She kind of still is."

Every single one of their heads snapped back to me, shock in all their golden eyes. I shuddered from the feeling of whiplash that spread through my limbs at the sound of cracking muscle. Did they really have to keep doing that? It couldn't be very pleasant.

I awaited their reactions as my words finally sunk in. And I almost looked away at what I saw in each person's gaze. The worst was definitely Edward. Not that I expected any less. He looked at me with so much pain in his eyes, that I couldn't stop the tears that dripped down my cheek and onto the floor. The one word that he uttered brought me to my knees; metaphorically of course. I wasn't actually going to break down in front of these people, they may be family, but they were responsible for this utterly destructive mess, "How?"

Still more tears streamed down my face. And I couldn't have hidden the choked sobs that broke my voice, when I remembered anew my part in this disaster; all of my guilt and all of my shame.

"I killed her…I… I… I bit her."

Tears glistening in my eyes, I looked up at my family; a family I had never been able to know; my grandparents, uncle, aunts… my own father.

I knew there were so many questions they needed to ask, but I couldn't answer them all. I could only give them the smallest taste of what had happened. It would never be right for me to tell a story that would never be completely mine.

Finally, after several minutes, I whispered. "I know you have too many questions, but I can only tell my story - and a part of Arabella's."

I heard their gasps when the realization dawned on them; that Arabella was Bella and Bella was Arabella. Really, I had thought they might have already caught on ages ago, but okay. Shaking those thoughts out of mind, I focused; I had to keep going, or I would never be able to again. It would be too hard.

"The second I was brought into this world, I knew everything about her; her pain, her secrets, and her broken heart. They all became a part of me, like I was a part of her soul instead of her daughter. She was an open book to me, and what I read broke my heart. She was in so much pain; I could feel it like the pulse of my heartbeat; wave after wave of pain; ebbing over me like a tide. When her feather-light hand touched my cheek and silent tears fell down her already tear-streaked face, I wanted nothing more than to end her suffering. It hurt so much to see that pain, hurt and despair mingled in with the happiness she felt when she met her daughter for the first time; so heartbreaking.

But then I breathed her in and she smelled so good; delicious even. And I just couldn't stop myself; I couldn't resist the temptation of her blood as it called to me. And I did the one thing I will never, ever forget. I bit her."

My voice cracked in agony as I relived the moment, but I soldiered on. "When she screamed suddenly, I immediately let go of her hand, but she only screamed louder and louder. I looked at her with absolute agony, knowing I had caused her this pain, and also with the most heart wrenching shame; knowing the horror of her blood still on my tongue, and how my body relished it. I wanted to tell her so much how sorry I was, but within seconds, she was gone; shrieking bloody murder as her heart shuddered and stopped; while her body fell completely limp. I will remember that moment, the moment I had killed her, for all time. But a second later, she opened her eyes and looked up at me, with a look of confusion on her face, at the horror on mine. Her eyes were an endless, soulless scarlet, the eyes of a condemned monster.

I felt her realization hit as she looked into my eyes; she had immediately known what had happened. And without a second thought she pulled me into her arms and then ran full bolt out the open window of the hospital, landing gracefully on the tarmac, before breaking into a frantic run… We had travelled for a long time, and during that time, I could only hear one thought running through her mind like a broken record. In perfect time with the beating of my racing heart, the word Volterra flashed over and over in my mind. And that's when I knew where we were headed; what we were doing. Mom needed help; we were going to see the Volturi."


	19. Birth Of Arabella

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 18

Aurelia - Birth of Arabella

"After several run-ins with a scary little girl called Jane, who was becoming exceedingly frustrated over the fact that Bella was immune to her power, she finally brought us before the Volturi court and Marcus, Caius and Aro.

When she stood before them, unprotected with a newborn child in her arms, she wasn't the least bit afraid of them; of any of them. But still I could feel her fear. She was filled with it, she was so deeply afraid of something that her mind was reacting to it and I couldn't penetrate the walls she was erecting around her mind. All I knew was that she was deeply, deeply afraid of something and desperately, ravenously hungry. So hungry, but there was something she had to do first, I could determine that much before her walls blocked me out. And if I had only known what she was planning to do, I would've done everything to stop her, but somehow she could keep this one secret from me. I couldn't read it, no matter how hard I tried."

I paused for a second, gathering my thoughts, then continued on; "I can still remember her frantic voice like it was just yesterday now, almost breaking with panic, as she looked the Royal Three in the eyes, and then finally addressed Aro ever so bluntly and quickly. All she said was, 'This is my daughter, Aurelia; Edward Cullen's and mine. I don't have time to explain all this but Aro; I need you to look after her. I will be back one day. If you hurt her, I will kill you, believe me. And I will be back some day. Never forget that.'

I don't think Aro's face will ever display the shock that it did in that moment ever again; after her speech, she simply placed me on the cool ground before him, along with Caius and Marcus. Then instead of shock there was complete disbelief when she just turned her back on them and on me; and ran full bolt at vampire speed out of Volterra and far away. I could feel her agonizing pain as my own as she ran; until she must've gone too far for even our connection to survive. But those few moments, all I felt was the self-loathing and horror of having to do this from her; having to run and leave me alone with these horrible creatures; her little baby girl.

When Aro had finally recovered enough to pick me up of the cold marble floor; the realization had set in that she was gone. And I never had felt so alone in my extremely short life. But Aro just looked at me in awe, and then held me up in the view of his entire vampire court; his voice ringing out high and clear as he declared that I was the 'first half-vampire.' Everyone from then on looked at me in awe; everyday that I grew up in that god forsaken castle, I was adored, envied, revered. I was surrounded by vampires on all sides every moment of the day, but never was I more alone in the world, because my mother was gone. So I was raised by the Volturi, until she came back for me, just like she had promised."

I paused, brushing away some of the tears that kept sliding down my pale cheeks, but when even more took their place I knew it was pointless to try and stop them. But they weren't unwarranted, I shuddered as I relived the some memories of my childhood; it hadn't been one of the most pleasant places for a child to grow up. As a particular memory bombarded my mind, I inhaled sharply, and it was a long time before I could continue. My voice would be cracking too much for even vampires to hear me if I didn't calm myself. When I finally got back under control, I continued.

"I stopped aging at the physical age of eighteen. It was painfully obvious that by my fourth eighteenth birthday, I would never age any further than being forever eighteen. That realization had made me hate my life so much more than did back then, because I knew then that I would never be able to escape the loneliness and pain I had felt all my life. It would be like this forever, I thought, because I was an immortal.

But then, on the eve on my fifth eighteenth birthday, my mother finally came back to Volterra. I had waited twenty-three lonely and broken years for this day, everyday hoping and praying to feel her arms around me again. To cry all my problems and sadness away, in her arms, then never leave her side ever, ever again.

And she did finally come back, and I was so happy to see her for the first time in so many years; but much had changed since then. She had changed.

When our connection snapped back into place, I knew without a doubt that she was so vastly different from the woman I had once known. So different in fact that Isabella Marie Swan was completely and utterly gone; and even Bella was gone; leaving only Arabella to take her place in this world."


	20. Can't Stay

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 19

Aurelia - Can't Stay

"There are so many things that I wish I could tell you, so many answers I have that I wish to give you to you; but they aren't for me to tell because that is Arabella's story, and it is her decision to whether or not you ever hear it."

I had told them the truth, well most of it; as much as I could tell. I didn't have the right to tell them Bella's story. It was hers to tell, her life to unveil… But I knew she wouldn't. It was almost physically, emotionally and mentally impossible for her to do that, and I hurt me to know she was that damaged, so much so that she'd never tell her own story.

Edward immediately butted into my depressing musings, his voice barely containing its excitement, "WHEN CAN I SEE HER?"

I knew it would come eventually, he couldn't possibly love her like that and not want to see her; I knew that much, I wasn't stupid. Of course he would expect to see the woman who had captured his heart; the woman he loved even after eight decades of believing that she had died and left this world forever; leaving him her alone.

The sheer hope in his voice broke my heart, now they were both going to be in pain. And I was the cause, but still I forced myself to utter the words that I knew would shatter him; kill him all over again. I had to kill my father, and I had already killed my mother once. I had to be the single worst daughter on the planet.

"You can't."

The rage and pain that dripped off his very words tore me apart inside; I hated to see him like this, for he was my father after all. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T SEE MY BELLA?"

I wanted nothing more in that second to scream obscenities at him; to shriek at him that he had broken her in the first place; yell from the rooftops that she wasn't his Bella since he abandoned her, but I knew he had only hurt her to protect her from the danger he thought she was in; which was exactly the same thing that I was doing right now to him; to all of them. We were more alike than he could ever know. We were both overprotective to a fault; and completely blinded by an all consuming love for Bella; his soul mate; my mother.

"You can't see Bella. Not anymore." The shocked silence that followed my words was worse that the screaming that had occurred only moments ago; and I wished it would return. I could've endured the screaming; I all for bringing back the screaming. This eerily, unearthly silence was haunting; chilling even. And I simply couldn't stay here anymore. It was just too hard.

Turning to leave, I whispered over my shoulder, my eyes locked intently with his. Brown clashing against gold in an agonizing stares, and I hurt so much to hurt him; no matter what he had done to us, he was family. He was my own father, who only wanted to see the love of his life; my mother. "Please try to understand. She's not Bella anymore."

Slipping out of their house before they could make a move to stop me and drag me back; I fled to my home; anything to get away from the house that was slowly being consumed with pain and hurt. It was too much to handle; too much to feel.

Sighing, I unlatched the useless lock on our door; like it would keep the Cullens out, and step into the hallway. Breathing deeply, a familiar scent bombarded my senses and a part of me wanted to scream at her to leave again. Warn her that it wasn't safe to stay now; that she had to leave right this second. But, the bigger part of me; the part that wanted nothing more to melt into my mother's arms and cry out all my troubles, frustration and pain, shut my lips. A day couldn't hurt, could it? We could leave tomorrow.

Walking up the stairs silently, I opened her door silently and looked in, my heart breaking a little when I saw her. I knew only too well the emotions that she would be feeling right now; she thought that she could hide it, but I knew; the emptiness, the chilling betrayal, the crushing weight of depression and self-loathing. All mirrors of the same emotions I had battled with; that still battled with even now; but magnified a million times over. She felt so much more than I thought was even possible for even a mythical creature such as vampires.

I let my gaze halt on her small form, which was curling into itself in a position of self defeat and angst; her head hidden against her chest. And though it looked like she wanted nothing more than to kill herself right now; I could hear the tell-tale strains of music as it played faintly from her headphones. I couldn't help but smile sadly; for now she would be okay. She was dealing through all of this the only way she knew how. And it would help her for a while. But not for long, not with the circumstances that surrounded us this time.

I knew that even certain memories, places and feelings had set her off before; and now we were dealing with the real thing. This was beyond anything we had tried before and it wasn't time to test out her strength. We had to go.

But first I had to hunt, so I ran to the forest to find a few deer or a grizzly to sate my hunger, before I had to decide where the hell we were going to go now. Because we had to leave Forks now; I can't stay here. And there was no way in hell she could now.


	21. My Angel

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 20

Edward - My Angel

Aurelia was gone just like that; here on second and gone the next, leaving some questions answered, but even more in their place Which should be against the law when a person drops a bombshell like that and then goes all cryptic. Still, she was gone; just another scent on the light breeze.

After everything she said to us and especially to me; after all the hope she had given us; Aurelia just left. Just like that, without an apology or even an explanation; anything… at all; Gone, just gone.

Still in her wake, she had left me one gift, a resolve; steely with determination and completely unwavering on one thing. No matter how hard it was; no matter who said no; no matter if the whole world was against me, I knew one thing. I would see my Bella.

Nothing else mattered now; nothing at all but the fact that she was mine because I loved her like no one else ever could and she was alive. Sure she wasn't human anymore; but she was alive. Walking, talking, being… alive… my beautiful, amazing Bella was alive.

And I was going to see her; and when I did I was never going to leave her side ever again. Not for anything else in this world; I would never, ever leave her again; ever. Inexplicable desire seared though my body as my thoughts dwelt on my beautiful, flawless angel; and soon the need scorched like fire in my body until my entire being yearned to see her; lived to see her. She was the air I breathed; all I ever wanted and forever needed.

Without a second thought to my family, I got up and bolted out the front door, following the strong scent that my daughter had left behind her as she had fled our house with sadness etched on her face; despair in her gorgeous brown eyes.

Suddenly, my thoughts caught and the reality came crashing down as everything finally sank in. Aurelia wasn't just some faceless human in the crowd anymore; annoying the hell out of me and my family. She was family; doing, though I thought it was completely unnecessary, everything to keep her mother safe. And she was **my** daughter.

Everything finally hit me, and one thought jumped at me; screaming for attention; Bella had given me a child. My amazing, beautiful, gorgeous angel had given me, a complete and utter monster, a child; a fiery teenager with a heart for her mother, just like my own. And she was mine; my child.

And her mother was still alive; still walking the same earth as I was; still breathing the same air as I did; alive. I would not abandon her again. Never, I would kill myself a hundred times over before I did that to her again. She was mine and I would never leave her; I loved her too much. Always, I would always love her.

A sudden smile sprung to my lips; the first smile that had touched my lips in over eighty years. And I just kept running, following the trail that would lead me back to my love, the wind whistling around me; calling my back to my future and the joy it would bring; my sun, my love, my hope, my Bella. The beautiful, amazing angel called Bella; who was alive, and who could spend the rest of eternity with me; my angel.


	22. Just A Demon

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 21

Bella - Just a Demon

Another time of darkness behind me, I wanted nothing more than to fall into my father's or my mother's arms and just cry myself to sleep. But they had died decades ago; and I would never sleep again.

Slipping through the open window of my room, I gazed around at the walls untouched by anyone but me, and I sighed. I felt so alone sometimes. Closing my eyes, I wanted nothing more to fling myself off a cliff and die; because once again my monstrous hunger was sated. I hated the feeling with every fiber of my being. I hated feeding; I hated feeling satisfied. But I needed it so much; I craved it also with every fiber of my being. But I was so messed up.

I felt full of opposites; my life a tumult of conflicting emotions, slowly but surely tearing my apart inside. I was pleased and I was disgusted. I was happy and I was depressed. I was victorious and I was a monster.

Pulling my ipod out and slipping the headphones on, I leant gingerly against the headboard of my bed and listened to the songs that usually soothed me; drowned out the conflicts of my soul until I felt like I could live again.

With each new song, more crystal like tears slipped down my cheeks in endless rivers; tears of pain and shame; and of so much more. All I knew was that I was a monster; just a monster.

Would I get better? Who knew? Was Aurelia safe? Who knew? Was I safe? Who knew? Was I a complete and utter monster that could only be dreamt up in the fiery pits of hell? Absolutely, not a single question about it.

The music pounded in my ears and I listened listlessly, ignoring the obvious interference of my private time, when my door creaked open slowly. I knew who it would be; I could have smelt her scent miles away. It was just Aurelia; my beautiful baby girl, who didn't need to see me like this. She knew pretty much everything when it came to me, but she didn't know it all. And she didn't need to see me like this.

She knew to leave for the moment; and soon, sometime in the near future; I would come around and sort myself back into our pretend lives again… She closed the door; its soft click echoing through the near empty, yet completely silent house. I smiled at the maturity and understanding my daughter had; she was a perfect angel on this earth, while I was a nothing more than a monster; a demon.

She was my own personal angel; and that was so much more than I ever could deserve for all my deeds; all the blood on my hands. I deserved to rot and burn; not live with Aurelia as she sacrificed and put away her own life to help me through this; if I ever made it through. I deserved to die anyway.

Placing my ipod and headphones on my desk, I reached for my lifeline; sitting where it always did, within arm's reach off my head board on a metal stand; my guitar.

Cradling its smooth and silky wood in my hands, I stared lovingly at its flawless perfection. Caressing the tightly strung horsehair strings, I listened with pride at its perfectly-tuned chords. Rubbing its supple mahogany wood beneath my fingertips, I slipped the strap over my shoulder and sat for a moment of pure happiness. This was the only moment I felt human; when I felt I was so much more than a monster or a demon; like I was human again, just another teenager trying to find their place in this world.

I relished these times, when I got a break from the future I knew was approaching; and approaching fast. Aurelia was fighting against it with everything inside her, and I wanted to; I really did. But something inside me knew that it was approaching, and that I would never escape from the end I knew would happen. It was always death.

I saw it every time I closed my eyes; whether it is my family, my victims or myself; I always saw death in the darkness. It was inescapable; and the fear and panic had slowly calmed to acceptance. Of course I hid that from Aurelia; it was one of the few things I could now, but she was trying so hard to make me get better. But I wasn't getting better; everything was getting harsher, meaner, and more vicious.

I knew that she still clung to some fairytale hope; but I knew in my heart something even **I** had never wished to understand. The fairytales couldn't exist for everyone; there always was the bad guy that got his in the end. Good always won; and I wasn't the good guy in mine or anyone else's story. Someone always had to pay the price for a happy ending; for everyone not everything ended in a happily ever after. There had to be a balance; or everything would crumble and fall apart.

Closing my eyes, I sang song after song, pouring out what was left of my fractured soul into the music, knowing that here was where I could forget what I was and what I had done in my lifetime. And it was here I could remember things my soul had buried deep inside me; things I often never felt because they were lost within the darkness of my heart.

Hope, love, dreams…

These short moments were what I lived for; what I faced the hell of my reality for. I loved to feel human and good for just a few minutes again, before the world returned and I was a demon once more; just a hell-sent demon.


	23. Slaps And Slashes

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 22

Edward - Slaps and Slashes

I had stopped running minutes before, but I stood now overwhelmed before the house where Aurelia's scent rested decadently before fading into the forest. This was it; I if I was human, I knew my heart would be jumping in nervousness and anxiety. But love exploded inside me when I finally detected that in amongst the chocolaty-strawberry scent, was a faint, very faint scent of lilacs. And honey. A scent I knew better than anyone else's on the planet; a scent that had nearly driven me to ruin than had lead me to my soul mate. Mouth-watering, god I loved her scent; and I rejoiced that she still smelt the same.

I gazed at the house before me; the one that house my love, it was average by my family's standards. Two story; white-washed with mahogany trim. It was pretty really, beautifully quaint. But no matter what it was, if it were a run-down shack or Buckingham Palace, I wouldn't care in the least. No matter what; it was my angel's home. And now that I had found her home, I was not going to leave here ever again; not for anything. Walking bravely up to the door, but inside quivering a little in anticipation; I raised a fist to tap gently on the wood, but stopped inches from the door, my interest suddenly occupied elsewhere.

Somewhere on the second floor I think, a person strummed a guitar; twisting the chords expertly into a haunting and sad melody. The song pulled at my dead heart, and I stood still in shock; just listening. The melody was absolutely beautiful; beautifully sad.

But nothing compared to the voice that suddenly rose up and crooned the lyrics that twisted into the melody in perfect harmony; making the song even more bittersweet than ever. It was amazing, wonderful, and beautiful; even more than I could even attempt to describe. It was indescribable.

_I've lived in this world so long now_

_Trying so hard to forget_

_But no matter where I run to_

_My past catches up with me_

_I thought I was strong_

_I thought I was brave_

_But when you came back to me_

_I crumbled to dust anyway_

_I want to run now_

_Again all I ever really can do_

_It__'__s my solution to everything_

_All that__'__s ingrained in me now_

_I thought I was strong_

_I thought I was brave_

_But when you came back to me_

_I crumbled to dust anyway_

_Can__'__t you stay away?_

_I need to heal this pain_

_And when you__'__re here_

_It's too hard to forget_

_I know what you__'__re feeling_

_I spent an eternity feeling the same_

_But you__'__re the one that caused this_

_And can__'__t change it, just regret it_

_Because I thought I was strong_

_And I thought that I was brave_

_But when you came back to me_

_I crumbled to dust anyway_

_Is this what you wanted?_

_For me to die in a cloud of flames_

_Is this what you imagined?_

_For my dust and ashes to blow away_

_Because I thought I was strong_

_And I thought I was brave_

_But when you came back to me_

_I crumbled to dust anyway_

_Crumbled__…_

_Dust is all I am_

_So crumbled__…_

_Never to forget_

_Because dust is all I am_

_Dust__…_

The siren's call stopped abruptly, and her melody faded away in a soft cascade of twinkling notes. I was completely mystified, so involved in her song that I didn't even realize I had even moved from where I had stood at the door. Looking down; I realized, somewhat sheepishly, that I was in a tree outside her window; just watching and listening as what I felt was her soul pouring out to the world.

The familiarity that was my current situation pained me a little. It was just like before we had collided and exploded into each other's lives; me outside her window as I watched her, while she remained completely oblivious to my presence; my closeness. I definitely was not oblivious.

Every sense in my body heightened, straining to hear her every movement; her every soft breath. I watched in rapture as she placed her guitar on her bed, as I was so overwhelmed with the urge to reach out and hold her that I physically ached for her. I loved her so much. I could feel it with every inch of my being. I ached for her; I wanted to hug her, and love her, and kiss away all the pain inside her. There was so much pain.

I could see it on her face; drown in it in her eyes; hear it in her song. It showed every time she sang. I shifted my weight silently to see her better as she moved a bit, but the God that controlled this world seemed to hate me; obviously he wanted to hurl every bit of hail and brimstone on my future. He hated me, for the branch I was hiding in crackled loudly as I shifted; and I froze, knowing just how loud that had sounded to my own sensitive ears. There was no way on earth she had not heard that; she was a vampire after all.

Her head snapped around to the source of the sound, and I nearly fell over when I glimpsed her face with the knowledge that this was her. This was Bella. Her features had hardened and become more defined with the change. And her hair was different; clouds of silver, barely touching her chin which confused me a little. The one thing Bella loved about herself as a human was her hair. And her eyes were still that mysterious silver, more unique than anything I had come to see in my many years. But it was so like her; born to stand out; my Bella.

She was absolutely beautiful as a vampire, I had expected it, but it was more than I had ever imagined; even more than I thought possible. She was a goddess; my goddess.

Her mysteriously colored eyes widened, and then narrowed in my direction when she finally noticed me.

"What the hell are you doing here, Edward?" She breathed out the words like an unspeakable curse, and I could feel the animosity licking around me like fire, but I did not really care. I almost fell off the branch when she breathed my name; which had never sounded so good in my life. It sounded like heaven on her full red lips; and I wanted to leap for joy. I had to get her back; that was all I ever wanted.

"I want to talk." I was confused when my words seemed to amuse her; her eyes dancing with humor, but something was mingled with it. Something much darker, something I couldn't recognize; only knew that it didn't belong on my angel's face. Then she spoke words I knew my Bella would never say.

"Really, asshole, well that may have been a better idea eighty years ago, when I freaking felt like listening to the stupid lies of a back-stabbing bastard."

My mind froze and crumbled at her words. What had I done to her? Had I really hurt her this bad? I was just trying to save her, protect her… It was never meant to turn out this way. I loved her.

I looked up to let her see the love in my eyes and how much I wanted her, but before I could; she changed. Her eyes darkened suddenly; they were darker than a normal vampire's, even at the hungriest they could get; an eerie and empty pitch black. Like a black hole; like emptiness personified. Like death. My heart broke and a snarl escaped her heavenly lips as she bared her teeth at me; her extremely pointed, gleaming white teeth that looked like that could rip me to shreds if she so desired; fangs. Why on earth would she have fangs? No vampire had fangs.

Soon her silvery hair darkened rapidly; now an almost black-grey, darkening towards glowing ebony with every second that passed. What the hell was going on? I watched her in horror; fear crawling up my spine as my very being screamed at me to run away from her, as she clenched her fists into tight balls, and I noticed her blood-red nails grow into dagger-like claws.

She did not look even remotely human now; barely even like a vampire. What the hell was going on? All I wanted was my Bella back; I love her so much.

She growled, a feral wild sound that struck fear into me and I stood back, suddenly afraid of the creature that was before me; Bella.

Through gritted teeth and bared fangs; dripping with venom, she spat out angrily, her voice taunting and harsh. "Love me, really bastard? That's a good one. Like I'm going to fall for that one again, I never want to see your lying, freaking bastard ass in my life again."

A gasp escaped my lips and I resisted the urge to sob, and then she slapped me. Raised her hand and she slapped me; slapped me.

I winced at the force of her blow, and I felt like my face was going to break or crack or something. She was so freaking strong. How on earth could she do that, especially to me? I love her. I love her.

"Stop lying, your asshole, I really don't like liars. You don't love me."

Suddenly a thought flickered into my mind, and I snapped my head up to look at her face as she spat out her hissed words. I hadn't been speaking aloud when I had said I loved her; I knew I wasn't speaking aloud. I had been thinking it and somehow she had heard me. Oh god, she was a mind-reader.

"Yes I am, and you are a worthless piece of trash, and as much as I would like to rip you to pieces, I am not going to waste my time right now. But I'll give you a taste."

Confusion filled me, than left without a second thought, as she raised her hand and she raked her blood red claws across my face; slowly, torturously, painfully. I screamed; the pain exploding throughout my body like explosions of agony and fire. And she simply stepped back from me and laughed. She laughed.

My Bella hurt me and laughed.

"That's right! Now leave me the hell alone, you bastard!"

Her last words rang in my ears as she jumped out the window gracefully and was gone without another word. As my shock melted away and the numbness faded, I clutched my face in my hands while my whole body writhed in pain. It hurt so much; both the physical and the emotional, but right now I had to get away from here, I had to see Carlisle.

These cuts stung like fire; and I knew that they were not healing like they should have been. This was not normal. Running blindly at a full bolt to my house, relying only on the scents of my family that drenched it and the flickers of voices I heard in my mind, I held in the screams that threatening to tear through my throat. It felt exactly like being turned all over again. I had to see Carlisle now. And fast.


	24. Hell Looms

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 23

Aurelia - Hell Looms

I had just finished off a particular large and delicious buck, and tossed his remains into the open for the mountain lion and such to snack on; when I heard his scream; a pain-stricken scream that seemed to echo for miles; the forest reverberating with its raw agony and despair. I recognized the owner of the scream; I had heard it once or twice in mother's memories, and my insides twisted and wrenched knowing that my own father could be lying in deathly pain somewhere. And he had to be in some serious, serious pain to require that amount of screaming from a nearly indestructible vampire.

Then I heard a faint, but obviously crazed and demonic laugh echo slightly; coming a little ways away from where Edward must be writhing in pain. And in that second, I all clicked together and I knew what had happened.

I ran straight for home; bolting through underbrush and dodging trees, sprinting towards my house like my tail was on fire. I almost wished it was on fire; anything to get me faster, before anything worse had the chance to happen.

Thoughts ran rampant through my mind, as I whispered softly; and the echoed around me, taunting me to almost the brink of insanity. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, oh god, please no…"

But I was not some sort of magician who could just stop time and fix all this; I could not change time, and I couldn't reverse the damage I was pretty sure had already been done. No matter how much I wanted to change time.

I forced myself to run faster, even though my body was trying ever so hard to go against the notion, because it knew I didn't want to be there right now. I really, really did not want to go there and have to sort out this mess. But I had to, no matter how much it hurt me or anyone else, or how much I loathed it; because it was my job.

"God, if you are really there listen to me this once. Let it not be Edward, please let it be someone else. She can't handle that… she will break this time. I need you to help me save your creations, they need your help. We are not meant to die; I know you don't want us to, not like this. Please don't let him talk to her. Don't let it be unleashed; anything but that."

Even as I beseeched the heavens, I knew it was hopeless. There would be no help from the heavenly body that was so far from us right now. God had given up on us a long time ago. Things were ready set in motion that could not be reversed.

We were a doomed race and we had been for eight decades; a secret my mother and I alone knew and bore. It had hurt us time and time again; we paid the price for something that couldn't be our fault. I was just a babe and Bella… was broken and empty.

Suddenly I was angry; I didn't want to be, but it just welled up inside me. We had been fine; we were progressing; and now everything had gone to hell; because of one person who just couldn't stop being selfish, "DAMMIT EDWARD, WHY ON EARTH CAN'T YOU JUST FOLLOW SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS FOR ONCE IN YOU LIFE!"

I knew I should not yell like that at my father; regardless of whether or not he was here to actually hear me, but he done something terrible to me. He had single-handedly ruined, in one day, what I had been building; what I had been protecting for such a long time.

Standing before the front door, I took a deep breath, then opened it and stepped inside. I knew immediately that my suspicions, and accusations, were correct when I breathed in again. I could smell his scent everywhere. It suffocated the air of all oxygen, permeating the room with its thick heady scent. It was as if someone had grabbed him and then proceeded to rub him all over the walls.

The scent worsened as I trekked slowly up to Bella's room; which was surprisingly empty when I finally built up the courage to open the door. I thought Edward, or Bella would still be here. I had expected someone to be here. Instead it was completely normal; just empty.

I breathed a soft sigh of relief, but then froze, my eyes suddenly zeroing in on the puddle of liquid pooling the ground, slowly trickling in a path all through the house and then out the door. I took a hesitant breath in and wanted to be sick suddenly, my mind spinning around dizzily in my head. It was Edward's blood, well really his venom.

My heart stuttered and I shivered, the room suddenly feeling ten degrees colder; as the realization over what had definitely occurred in this room hit me like a ton of bricks; she had hurt him, Badly. The time had come.

And as much as I felt sorry for the guy, because I knew all too well what she was capable of when she was just ticked off, a very large part of me hated my father so much right now. If he hadn't had the stupidity to not listen to me, he wouldn't be hurt and she wouldn't be gone. All I wanted to do right now was find him and scream at him. But I needed to think clearly. I needed to know everything that had gone on between him and Bella; I needed to know how bad a state we all would soon be in. I needed the details. And for that I had to talk to the stupid idiot himself.

I fled the horrible scene and bolted out the door, following the trail of Edward's venom as he must have stumbled here and there, trying desperately to get home. And as much as there would be hell to pay when I finally coaxed the truth out of him, I need him alive if we were to have any hope.

He had a hell of a lot of explaining to do, especially with hell looming ever so close now that I can feel its suffocating presence.


	25. Edward's Scars

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 24

Carlisle - Edward's Scars

I watched from behind a book I was studying, as my family moved around me, seemingly about their usual business on this seemingly normal day. But today was no normal day. Today was a day I wanted to rejoice; our family would be whole again. No more self-loathing, sadness, depression… Edward had finally found his only love, Bella again and everything was going to be the same as it had been.

Well except for Aurelia, she was definitely a person I wanted to talk to and know more about. Already excited to know more about this new 'mythical' creature, I walked quickly to my study, and I scanned through the numerous books that filled my overstuffed selves, a product of centuries of collection. I finally spied the dust-covered tome of a very obscure nature, hoping it would give me some insight into my 'granddaughter.' Wow, that was an odd thought, me, a grandfather.

Pushing the thought aside for the moment, I focused on what was foremost in my mind; I needed to know more about these half-breeds. Thoughts whirled around in my mind; if it was possible to have half-vampires, then what about half-werewolves… that thought stilled my thought process for a moment.

Could the Children of the Moon still exist in some small way and could they come back one day… And that fact that there was apparently so much we didn't know about the world worried me for a moment, but I shrugged it aside to pick up the book I had located. Just as I flipped open the front page; I was interrupted by the irritating buzzing of my cell phone. Wanting to silence the offending noise as quickly as possible and get back to my research, I flicked it open and answered tersely.

"Hello?"

"Hello, my dear Carlisle. It's been a long time."

I couldn't hide the look of surprise and shock on my face, luckily he couldn't see it, but I was mildly confused as to why Aro was calling now; we hadn't heard from the Volturi in over eighty years and we hadn't done anything 'illegal' by his standards since Bella's human years. But that had changed now; she was no longer human.

"Hello Aro, what a surprise. Is there anything I can do for you?"

I noticed the way he hesitated before answering for just a second; something a human would never have caught, but I knew that meant Aro was defiantly up to something. And something I probably would not like. He continued somewhat hurriedly, most likely trying to make up for his slip up.

"I was just wondering if we could come for a visit. Catch up a little."

I instantly tensed and put up my guard; I knew perfectly well that it wasn't like Aro to just 'catch up' because he suddenly felt like it. He most definitely wanted something. And I had a feeling it was probably to convince one of my children to join his guard again. Not like I was going to let him; ever. But then again, we hadn't he bothered in the last eight decades? Especially seeing as how fragile Edward had become, and thus our entire family, for the first few decades after we had learned of Bella's 'death.'

Then it just clicked into my mind. Maybe it was Bella; after all when she suddenly appeared in our lives once more, Aro is calling us again. And then there was Aurelia; I knew Aro well enough to know that losing her after twenty-three years of her being a trophy would have wounded his pride. Maybe this was about revenge; whatever it was, I had to find out; for all our sakes. I just have to dangle the 'bait' and see if that's what he really was after.

"Sure, I think it would be good to reconnect again. And you would be coming at a great time; Edward is in great spirits finally. We had the happy fortune to run into his Bella when we moved back to Forks; apparently she had been turned, not killed all those years ago."

I was shocked when I heard Aro's sharp gasp on the other end of the phone line. What had shocked him so badly, our sudden hospitality? What was it that I had said to make him react so violently?

"Bella's there?" I heard the slight quiver in his words, but ignored it; brushing it off as suppressed excitement. Meanwhile, I was just downright frustrated; we finally got our family together again, and it just has to be Bella he was after. This would kill Edward all over again. But she definitely must be powerful for him to want her specifically, and not even mention Aurelia. I opened my mouth to reply, but was cut off when Aro uttered two words I never imagined he would ever say.

"Run, now."

The second the words left his lips, my phone went dead, the dial tone ringing in my ears. I hung it up and placed it on the table; confused to the core. Plus, the terror and fright in his voice when he said those last words worried me a lot. Was Bella dangerous? She couldn't be; she was the gentlest human I had ever met. She couldn't be dangerous.

I heard the doorbell ring, which was odd, but so many odd things had happened lately, I thought nothing of it. Returning to the subjects at hand, my body froze when I heard a blood-curdling scream, which sent ice through my lifeless veins. It was my Esme's scream.

Bolting to the doorway as fast I could to get to my soul mate; I found her sitting on the ground, with my son; my first son Edward crumpled in her arms. I watched with terror as he remained quivering in her arms, whimpering and writhing around like a madman. Flashbacks of his change flooded my mind, and my anxiety peaked. When Esme finally looked up at me and met my eyes; agony was devouring her topaz pupils like an endless abyss. Something had most definitely gone wrong.

Everyone had heard the commotion and torn down from their own rooms, and came to stand beside me; watching with confused eyes at their brother; helpless and in pain in his mother's arms.

Alice dared a step closer, wincing as Edward moaned in agony, then whispered to Edward, panic leaking into her voice. I could see her eyes flying back and forth, trying to pick up a vision of what was happening, but getting nothing. "Edward, what happened? What happened with Bella?"

I carefully watched my son reaction to his sister's words and was shocked to find that she second her name, Bella, was mentioned; his writhing stop for a second and he shuddered. He actually shuddered at the mere thought of his dearly beloved's name. What on earth had she done to my poor son?

We waited for his answer, but he made no move to reply; instead he shrugged Esme's hand; that was caressing his head, away gingerly and looked up into my eyes. Simultaneously, every person in the room gasped horrified, while Alice clapped one hand to her lips to unsuccessfully smother her shrill scream. And I just couldn't move. I couldn't speak. I just couldn't do anything, but gaze at the torn mess that was Edward's once perfect face.

Everyone just gaped in horror at the horrific scars that now marked Edward, and I knew we were all wondering the exact same thing. What on earth had happened?


	26. The Truth

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 25

Aurelia - The Truth

I had just hit the driveway, where Edward's scent was almost to the point of unbearable, when I heard Esme scream. Closely followed by several horrified gasps then Alice's own shrill scream. This was going to be bad; very, very bad for me and for mom. Luckily for her, I got to be the one to explain all this to the currently freaking out vampires, who could kill me if they really felt the urge.

I opened the door silently and stood slightly shocked at the scene before me, not that I shouldn't have expected it, but still.

Esme cradled a quivering Edward in her arms, and they were surrounded by the dropped jaws and pained face of the rest of my family. And when I finally saw why all this was happening, I definitely did not blame them. I shuddered myself when I saw Edward's face. Five ragged slash marks ran across his face, like someone had run a rusty dagger across his face over and over. And beneath it all was a blue-black bruise, shaped in a perfect handprint across his left cheek. I watched him carefully; and knew he was probably dying from the pain. It hurt like nothing on this earth to vampires.

Another second passed and I could not take it anymore; I shoved my way passed the shocked, motionless bodies and then pushed Esme away from my father; as nicely as I could while still being firm. She needed to let him go if she wanted any hope of saving him.

Cradling my father in my arms for a moment, I stared point blank into his topaz eyes that were steadily darkening with the pain and suffering he was living through. And all I felt was pity. Every little speck of anger and rage had left my body, and only my one pain at seeing my father like this remained. This was **my **father, and he needed my help if he was going to get a go at being my father.

Lying him down on the carpeted floor; now completely ruined, I placed one hand over his face; cupping his cheek and the other over his heart. Taking a deep breath, I slowly breathed in and out, then whispered a few words; while tears ran freely down my cheeks and onto his slowly rising chest.

"Heal these wounds wrought by evil

Cleanse poison from these veins

Take away the scars of the demon

And let this one live again."

I knew that everyone was watching in rapture, as my hand glowed a shining blue, and the scars that destroyed my father's beautiful face melted away, healing; knitting muscle and skin back together. I could feel their awe as we all watched the pain leave Edward's eyes and then I smiled. He was going to be okay.

But I certainly wasn't, was the only thought in my mind, when I looked up to find the faces of six very confused and shocked vampires gaping at me. I really should clear all that up before everything gets out of hand. "I'm a healer."

Alice suddenly was on her feet, yelling so loudly in a tone that I had seen in my mother's memories, and I winced. When Alice was freaked out, it wasn't good for anyone, she was one scary little pixie when she wanted to be. "WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED HERE! WHY WAS EDWARD HURT AND HOW THE HECK DID YOU JUST HEAL HIM?"

Well this would be fun; stupid mess that this was. Now I would have to tell the truth; the complete truth, devoid of all the lies and secrecy. They needed to know now and Bella's story wasn't going to tell itself. "Okay, um, just come into the family room, I'll try to explain. Okay?"

Picking Edward up and leaning him against me, I walked us both into the living room, where I set Edward down on the couch. Before he fell forward, I slung one arm around his still shaking shoulder to hold him up. It would take a little while for him to be completely better.

Turning to the rest of the family, I braced myself for the onslaught of question that would soon begin, and said, "Okay, question time. Oh, and one at a time; it's just easier that way."

Carlisle cleared his throat suddenly and then asked me quietly, I could see he was unsure if he even wanted to know; but the scholar in him was practically drooling for more information. "When you said you were a healer, did you mean that was your power?"

I nodded, barely moving my head, and then decided to elaborate; they deserved the whole truth. "Only one of them actually; I have three."

I winced at the volume of their collective gasps, but I ignored them for the moment, knowing I needed to get this out and continued. "I know it's odd, but then again I am the half-vampire child of two people that had very strong gifts; even if Bella was still human at the time. I seem to have received two inherited gifts and one unique gift. From Edward I got the ability to read minds, and which without mum's gift would have been a nightmare. I got her ability to shield all other abilities; something you were probably unaware of, but yeah Bella was a shield as a human, and I can shield even my own gifts. So I can switch off the mind reading thing when I want, which is something I really like. Also I received the ability to heal as my own special gift. I can heal any vampire wounds and scars; also human ones. But I can't bring someone back from the dead, which is impossible. So that's it for my powers. Next."

I waited somewhat anxiously; then Alice piped up. "What happened to Bella?"

I cringed and noticed a shudder run through Edward's body at her name; she definitely had done a number on him. I sighed and whispered quietly, "This isn't a nice tale to tell, but it's the truth, whether you choose you believe it or not. It is real."

I took a deep breath and then shuddered a little from the memories, then continued softly; knowing they all would hear anyway. "Okay, when I told you all that stuff before, I left a whole lot out because it was Bella's story to tell, but she isn't going to do that now. So here goes, and don't ask questions; I just need to get it all out now or I might not be able to. Okay, here goes.

Yes, I was born eighty years ago, and Edward and Bella are my biological parents; but I only gave you a very brief overview of what happened, so here it the rest. When she fell, Bella was saved by Jacob Black, the grandson of Billy Black. He was on a patrol with the other Quileute wolves and he saw Bella get sucked under the crushing waters, and he saved her from her death; but after she recovered from the accident, she went catatonic. She refused to move, eat, and sleep. She didn't react to anything; she was just a shell of who she had once been. When Jacob and her father suggested she move back with her mother for a while to recover, she went ballistic. She tried to hurt herself over and over again; Jacob could not stop her after awhile. They all knew what she was trying to do. She wanted to kill herself.

Jacob and Charlie ordered an intervention, and had her committed into an institution to help her. Jacob visited her every day, and she was starting to get better. She came to love Jacob, not in the same way as she loved Edward, but she did love him nonetheless. Yet she never told him about me and it came back to haunt her; he found out one day, and he went crazy. He phased from the anger that the woman he loved was carrying his mortal enemy's child and almost killed her. She was his enemy now, all because she was carrying me. Luckily the other wolves got there in time to drag him away before he had the chance to hurt or kill her, but then they decided they had to leave and never came back. She was torn apart without them.

She only lived for me then; because I would never left her. At first she resented me for making Jacob leave her, but she grew to love me over the months she carried me, and then she brought me into this world.

We really did go to the Volturi just days after my birth and she did abandon me there in Volterra. And then she did disappear. That was all the same. But I lied about when she came back. She came back when I was ten. Even then my multiple powers were legendary; I am actually surprised you never heard of me. I was the first vampire hybrid and the Volturi weren't going to part with me anytime soon. When mum finally came back for me, I was ecstatic. I hated the Volturi; I was nothing more than a pet to them. A trophy; I wasn't a person, but the Volturi refused to give me back, even though mum had warned them all those years ago. It was a day I'll remember for the rest of my immortal life.

Mum's silver eyes, which were weird enough since she had left with red eyes, suddenly turned deathly black. And her hair started too changed to ebony black as well. Her nails grew to claws and her teeth became fangs, actual vampire like fangs. She growled at Aro to let me go, but when he refused; that's when she lost it and attacked every member of the Volturi except the Royal Three.

She massacred every member of the guard and the royal court; drinking from them like they were human. When she was done, she smiled up at Aro, Caius and Marcus's frightened faces; an eerie, disturbing smile, then grabbed my hand and ran. That's the day she saved me and the day I also realized that she was different from other vampires. I had lived with them my entire life after all.

I was going to question her about it, but soon she changed back to her regular self and it seemed unnecessary. I read her mind and knew she was happy; she had only wanted me back after all. She loved me.

So I left it alone, but over time my curiosity grew. And one day when I was sixteen, I caught mum drinking from a newborn like she had when she had come for me at Volterra; when I confronted her about it, that's when I found out that she really was different from other vampires."

Taking a deep breath, I hurried on, "She was like a vampire evolved; she was faster, smarted, stronger, braver, more beautiful and more powerful than regular vampires. Which I thought was cool, until we discovered there was a flip side to this amount of power. She was completely wild; fed only by rage and pain and anger and desire that coursed through her every moment. She was utterly dangerous, and she was scared out of her mind.

It was like her personality had been split in two; the Bella who was in pain and loved Edward, and the Bella that was anger and revenge; so much so that the smallest thing set her off. She was too dangerous. So I did the only thing I could, I raided Volterra's archives to find something about her. I spent a year looking through thousands of old books and parchments, until I found one very old and obscure book. It was called The Demon.

I had a feeling when I picked it up, and as I flicked through it, I found out that every description inside it fitted mum perfectly. When she was changed, she didn't become a vampire, she became what was known as La Demonio di Totale Oscurita. Translation: The Demon of Utter Darkness.

There had only been one in the history of the world; a man who came to be called the Phoenix. He succumbed to the down side of this powerful form; he went crazy from the conflicting halves of his soul. Completely torn apart by the madness it reeked inside of him; he killed himself, managing to take down thousands vampires with him, and a large part of Europe. The humans called this 'disaster' the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, but it wasn't a natural disaster; it was in fact a demon unleashed on earth.

I knew what mum was now and it scared me, this Phoenix had been a monster; an unstable, dangerous monster. I read further, knowing that I needed to find out all about her, and see if there was a way to stop this. She had to feed off other vampires; it was her nature. And there wasn't an alternative; no vegetarianism for her. Humans managed to send her into a coma for months and animals very nearly killed her. Believe me she tried, but after a few years of mum in a coma, we stopped, knowing that for now we couldn't change this. So I accepted her eating habits, I couldn't do anything about them and they were never a threat to me; I was too human to be tempting to her.

I also learned that her powers were limitless. She was all powerful; nothing could stop her when she changed. She had every power known to vampires on this earth and was impervious to fire. It was like she was invincible.

Then when I reached the end of the book I found a prophecy scrawled in faded black ink. When I read that I was terrified.

It pretty much said that the Phoenix, a creature of rage and revenge, would be born and would bring the world to its knees. It was destined to die, and when it did, it would wipe the vampire population from the face of the earth; permanently.

I knew the prophecy hadn't been fulfilled by the last Phoenix; he had only caused a small wave of destruction against the race of vampires; which meant that the real Phoenix was still to be born, or was already born. It was Bella.

Bella had become the Phoenix and I was completely terrified because I knew from reading Aro's mind just how many had vampires populated the world when I lived in Volterra. Back then there was only ten thousand or so.

There's over a million vampires now; mostly in Volterra, the rest scattered throughout the world. And I knew that if mum took out every vampire on the planet in one moment like she was destined to; that the earth wouldn't survive. It would be the end of the world; The Apocalypse.

So I did the only thing I could. I used my shields I had inherited from her to cage the Phoenix inside her mind, anything to stop the end of the world. She slowly changed back to normal. She lost her powers, her special gifts and became a normal vampire; except for her feeding habits which remained the same.

And for eighty years, we trained together; learning to keep the beast under control until mum could find a way to heal the pain and rage and anger, or until she found a way to kill herself without heralding the apocalypse. She had fewer break outs over the years because of the prison I had encaged the monster in, but when you cage a beast, that beast gets angry. Every time it broke free, she was worse - more violent, angrier, more destructive; less human.

So I tried to slowly let the anger and pain into her life again without unleashing the Phoenix. That way she could slowly heal; Forks was the biggest challenge she had faced so far and the hardest one. But she wanted to try, she wanted to get better. And she was getting better; the anger was dying, but when you turned up, everything changed. The phoenix was angry; it hated you all more than anything in this world. We were going to run away again, come back when she was more stable. Then this happened."

I took a breath and then gestured at Edward, who now was completely fine, albeit a little week. And he might have been fine, but I was angry again. He had done this; he had ruined everything I had worked for. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY TO HER?"


	27. Hell Has Come

**Disclaimer: All rights and characters belong to Stephanie Meyer; I'm just borrowing them for a bit.**

Chapter 26

Aurelia - Hell Has Come

I watched as Edward's head snapped up to look at me with a confused, but pain look on his face. "What?"

Now I was just a little pissed off. Was he mentally incompetent or something? He was a vampire, there was no way he didn't hear what I just said. I raised my voice to scream at him, but a hand clamped over my mouth and effectively silenced me. Damn Alice.

"You heard her, Edward, what did you say to Bella?"

We watched as he hung his head in his hands, shuddered for a moment and then whispered softly, his voice pained. "All I said was that I wanted to talk to her. Then she just flipped out and all of the sudden she started reading my mind."

My heart stuttered for a moment in fright, and I shrieked against Alice's hand; suddenly annoyed that she was stopping me from speaking, so I bit down hard on her hand, not enough to maim her but enough for her to feel it. And it worked, Alice let go and screeched. I didn't care though; my mind was already going into permanent shock. This was bad. This was bad. This was bad. This was so very bad. Her powers were coming back.

"Edward, look at me and tell me exactly what she heard in your mind."

He looked up at me and I almost fell over from the absolute pain in his eyes, it hurt so much to just look at him, "That I loved her."

"SHIT!"

My family all whirled around to face me, and seeing what was probably my horrified face, shouted together, "WHAT?"

Well, everyone except for Esme, who was currently muttering under her breathe about something along the lines my inappropriate language. I almost wanted to laugh, here we were with the knowledge that Bella was a monster and she was upset about my language. Only a mother could do that.

"Edward, what did she do? I need to know everything."

He gulped noisily and then shook visibly in front of us. Whatever it was that she had done really was not good. Not good at all.

"The first time I said I loved her, in my head; she changed. Just like the description you gave us before; the black hair, eyes, dagger claws and deadly fangs. Then she slapped me; hard. She has got to be stronger than even Emmett's strength. He could never leave a mark, let alone a bruise. Then when I said I loved her again, I finally realized that she was reading my mind. She went on about wanting to tear me apart, but didn't want to waste the time on me. Then she raked her claws across my face."

He broke down sobbing hysterically, his heart breaking before us. And I could feel I his pain. I had already felt in on more than one occasion.

"Edward, what did she do then?"

I knew there was something else. She hadn't just hurt him physically, she had done something else. He looked up into my eyes, and I knew before he even uttered the words. She had enjoyed hurting him. She had loved it even.

"She laughed at me, then jumped out the window and was gone."

Tears trickled down my cheeks, as I watched my father break down before me because of my mother. My mother was now gone. The Phoenix had finally broken free. Alice turned to me and whispered frantically, worrying coloring her tone and I knew than most of our futures had just disappeared. Mum affected everyone close to her in more ways than one. "What does this mean, Aurelia? What's happening?"

I looked into her eyes and then the golden eyes of the rest of my family; while streams of tears flooded down my cheeks and onto the carpet. I hated this, I hated this, and I hated this. I just wanted everything to be normal; I just wanted a normal family to live with.

"It's the end. The end of the world…"

They all gasped simultaneously and then sat shock still, completely and utterly stunned as I choked out the rest of the sentence.

"…the Phoenix has been unleashed. Hell has come to earth


End file.
